Nashville Scene 10-12-23 BON

Cultivating a spirit of trust and partnership with our customers, employees and community

O’Connell Addresses Campaign

Priorities in First Days as Mayor

The new mayor’s opening statements on the East Bank, transit, police and state overreach

BY ELI MOTYCKA

BEST OF NASHVILLE 2023

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Isbell’s Southeastern stands the test of time

BY BEN ARTHUR

Waiting for the Night

Revisiting Depeche Mode’s legacy before their Bridgestone Arena stop

BY JASON SHAWHAN

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Here’s to You

Joan Baez talks to the Scene about her documentary, her mental health struggles and her legacy

BY ADAM DAVIDSON

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This Modern World will return in the Oct. 26 issue

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WHO WE ARE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF D. Patrick Rodgers

O’CONNELL’S KEY HIRES ARE STEPS TOWARD CONTINUED PROGRESS AND STABILITY

LATE LAST MONTH, Nashville Mayor Freddie

O’Connell announced the first new leadership hires within his administration. These hires are further evidence that O’Connell is working to keep his promises to support Nashville residents and to provide stability and progress from the mayor’s office.

O’Connell announced the hiring and retention of multiple key roles, including his chief of staff, department heads and chief positions in development and operations. Marjorie Pomeroy-Wallace, who served as O’Connell’s campaign manager, will be O’Connell’s chief of staff, which is a typical transition from campaign to administration.

Pomeroy-Wallace certainly proved her capability on the campaign trail, when she was forced to pivot unexpectedly from the O’Connell camp’s underdog style of campaigning, which had been employed prior to former Mayor John Cooper’s announcement that he would not seek reelection. In the campaign world, transition from one strategy to a new approach within a “Wild West” campaign with no incumbent is challenging. Pomeroy-Wallace’s efforts paid off with the recent swearing-in of Mayor O’Connell. Nashville can expect that she will apply her skills of effective transitioning to her new role as chief of staff.

Accurately identifying the abilities of a person who is being considered for a key position is important. O’Connell learned to rely on Pomeroy-Wallace during his campaign, and did so with considerable success. It is a wise move to transition that working relationship into the mayor’s office. This hire in particular highlights the fact that O’Connell must believe in the mantra, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Other recent announcements from the O’Connell camp serve as additional proof that the mayor knows some people in leadership roles work well and should be retained. These include the retention of Kristin Wilson in the role of chief of operations and performance and Wally Dietz as Metro legal director. Both Wilson and Dietz bring their experience in the private sec-

tor and in the previous administration to their continued roles, and they should both serve well in bridging the important time frame between one mayoral administration and the next.

It’s important for any leader to encourage qualified individuals to remain in their roles, and it is also important to ensure that key campaign staff are offered the opportunity to transition into administration positions. A third key hiring decision: considering those with whom you’ve worked previously. O’Connell is demonstrating that he’s considering this pool of candidates as well, given the news that he hired former Metro Councilmember At-Large Bob Mendes for the role of chief development officer. Mendes’ greatest accomplishments during his time on the council were arguably his efforts to ensure that Nashville made fiscally sound decisions, and I’m sure he will continue to apply his caution and reason to his new position.

The fourth way of finding talent to fill key roles: considering people who’ve neither worked for or with you before. It’s a bigger gamble than hiring someone you know from direct work experience, but in these types of hires, individuals’ reputations precede them. This is the case in O’Connell’s hiring of Katy Varney to fill the role of interim communications director. Her experience in the worlds of public relations and government communications with the late Gov. Ned Ray McWherter speaks for itself.

O’Connell has promised to support Nashville’s neighborhoods and families with his 15 Fixes plan, and so far, he is making steady progress on keeping these promises. These early key hires show he is working hard to support Nashville and help his hometown thrive. I know we are all looking forward to seeing progress, stability and continued success under Mayor O’Connell.

Bill Freeman

Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post and The News

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O’CONNELL ADDRESSES CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES IN FIRST DAYS AS MAYOR

The new mayor’s opening statements on the East Bank, transit, police and state overreach

BY ELI MOTYCKA

THESE ANSWERS PULL from public appearances by Mayor Freddie O’Connell during his first week in office. Some combine responses to questions from media, including the Scene and our sister publication the Nashville Post, organized by topic.

THE EAST BANK

Mayor John Cooper spent much of his last two years in office setting up a complete redevelopment of the East Bank, anchored by a new $2.1 billion Titans stadium. Boston-based real estate firm the Fallon Co. won a recent bid to oversee the development of city-owned land on the East Bank, a project that will demand significant city resources and attention over the next four years.

“I don’t think the East Bank 10 years from now will look exactly like Fallon’s submission, but they seem to be on the right track with park elements, infrastructure elements, housing and the overall mix of uses. They seem to be in the ballpark of affordable housing units, but we still have a lot of work to do to figure out whether these are long-term affordable, what are the income thresholds, how much is workforce housing, how much is very low-income.”

“The tension of the overall project will be what is encumbered by the financial necessities of the overall deal. We saw with River North there was a form of tax increment financing that came into that proposal. The good news is this was a reclamation of public land. We get some choice about how we value that for things the city needs, including long-term affordable housing and a potential expansion of our property tax base. The project of this quarter is to develop something with the business and legal components to take a final contract [with Fallon] to Metro Council by the end of the year.”

“With the Titans stadium in particular, I don’t intend to go back and relitigate that. We’re going to make substantial public investment produce as significant a return as it possibly can.”

TRANSIT

O’Connell separated himself during the campaign with his sophisticated understanding of public transit in Nashville and constant pledges to improve how the city moves. Expanding bus and rail have been elements of his promise to improve Nashville mobility.

“The federal railway administrator was here to present a check for just over $20 million for bridge repairs for short-line railroads in Middle Tennessee. A couple of the private rail operators were there. [State transportation commissioner] Butch Eley was there. It was a local, state and federal initiative. We talked about potential upgrades to the short-line route that includes the

[Music City] Star; the likeliest path we have for rail service is actually hours and frequency updates to the Star. Potentially there are a couple other stops along the way that we could add.”

“The long-term view of Middle Tennessee has two things to consider. There has long been the idea that you could have a commuter rail alignment from Nashville to Clarksville similar to the Star. It could connect up to light rail capacity in the city eventually. If we got the overall transit initiative right, we could potentially be looking at gold-standard bus rapid transit to and from the airport. There’s been a lot of talk about [private rail operator] CSX and north-south alignments there — I think that’s less likely. Commuter rail to Clarksville and improvements on the Star gives us two east-west spurs of commuter rail potentially connecting up to a longterm light rail scenario in Nashville.”

“The third element is something I know the state is working on: Amtrak. I know Chattanooga is looking at some proposals. Nashville is on several of the proposed Amtrak maps. If there is anything we can do as a local government to accelerate the likelihood of restoring passenger rail service beyond Nashville and beyond Middle Tennessee, we certainly want to be a part of that.”

POLICE

Mayor Cooper tapped John Drake to lead the Metro Nashville Police Department as chief in November 2020. Since then, the department has struggled with hiring and retention, despite being flush with financial support from the mayor’s office. Arrests related to violent crime remain concentrated in a few districts near downtown. Overall violent crime statistics per capita have ticked up in recent years, though remain far below the highs of the 1990s.

“It has helped the department that we

increased new recruit pay and increased across-the-board pay for first responders and specifically police. In the transition briefing we had with Chief Drake, [he said] he believes we will fully staff the department — for the first time I’m aware of — by sometime next year. He had a recruiting class schedule that he showed me. The other piece of good news is that we just received a $2 million grant from partners at the federal level that should allow us to do a full three-year implementation of group violence intervention as we’ve watched gun violence increase here in Nashville. We know that in so many scenarios where gun violence exists in a community, there tend to be a small number of people pulling the trigger in unlawful scenarios. Group Violence Intervention has been a program that started as a pilot just a few months ago; this expansion should be a really good model for us. It will supplement all traditional patrol scenarios.”

COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT BOARD

The state legislature abolished community oversight boards this year, explicitly threatening official police accountability bodies in both Memphis and Nashville. Now the city must chart a future for the members and staff of the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board, established by referendum in 2018 after the police killings of Jocques Clemmons in 2017 and Daniel Hambrick in 2018.

“We saw preemptive activity from the [Tennessee] General Assembly that we have not seen in Nashville previously, including an effort to roll back things that Nashville voters said a few years ago that we wanted, including a strong civilian oversight model for police.”

“State law has forced us to reconstitute what is moving from a Community Oversight Board to

a civilian review board. We have to go through a rehiring process and reconstitution. There is basically a drop-dead date of Oct. 29, with a board meeting on Oct. 27. We have to have board members in place, hire a new director and have that director make recommendations about staff. There is a possible world in which all staff are retained with different roles.”

REPAIRING THE CITY-STATE RELATIONSHIP

A suite of bills aimed at Nashville passed through the state legislature during this year’s session, prompting lawsuits from the city and bureaucratic crises across Metro. The city-state relationship was among voters’ top priorities in the mayor’s race this summer.

“I don’t know what repair looks like. We have seen unprecedented encroachment on the sports authority, convention center authority and airport authority. I can’t anticipate that the state is going to walk back any of those unless legally required to do so. I don’t think they’re going to do it out of goodwill. [Sept. 28] was a strong starting point, with the federal rail administrator being here and Commissioner Eley directly participating. From a regional basis, there is probably a lot of alignment around economic development and infrastructure cooperation. There may be less alignment around things like education.”

“I do expect to meet with Gov. Lee one-onone. We’ve had great contact already with the comptroller’s office, the secretary of state and leadership in both legislative chambers. We’d like to at least be communicating regularly so that we are transparent about the things that we want to work on on behalf of Metro and look for those opportunities to collaborate.” ▼

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

FREDDIE O’CONNELL AT HIS INAUGURATION CEREMONY

For three-and-a-half decades, we here at the Nashville Scene have done our best to share with our readers what makes Music City special. That’s the aim every week, of course, but most of all in our whopping annual Best of Nashville issue — and this year’s issue is among our most extensive ever.

Ahead of the Scene’s 35th annual Best of Nashville issue, tens of thousands of Nashvillians cast hundreds of thousands of votes for the best restaurants, artists, businesses, services, performers, athletes and institutions in the city. Our team of staff and contributing writers also convened to select hundreds of our favorites from those categories and more. Want to know who our readers voted Best DJ? Best Place to Hear Live Music? Best Burger? Best Dentist? Best Hair Salon? How about what our team of writers picked as 2023’s Best Album? Best New Restaurant? Best Advocates? Best Late-Night Bar? In this week’s issue, you’ll find all that and much, much more.

Read on and celebrate the Best of Nashville — all the things that have made 2023 a home run.

BEST TEAM. BEST CUSTOMERS. BEST PIZZA.

BEST BAGEL

1.Proper Bagel

2. Crieve Hall Bagel Co.

3. Jersey Oven Bagels

BEST BAKERY

1.Dozen Bakery

2. Christie Cookie

3. Baked on 8th

BEST BAR

1.Bar Sovereign

2. Chopper

3. The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club

BEST BARBECUE

1.Edley’s Bar-B-Que

2. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

3. Honeyfire Barbeque Co.

BEST BARTENDER

1.Adam Morgan, Husk

2. Zac Dalton, Barstool

3. J.A. Harrison

BEST BEER SELECTION

1.Vinyl Tap

2. M.L. Rose

3. The Filling Station

BEST BREAKFAST

1.Loveless Cafe

2. Big Bad Breakfast

3. Hearts

BEST BREWERY (LOCAL)

1.Yazoo Brewing Company

2. Bearded Iris Brewing

3. Southern Grist

BEST BRUNCH

1.The Electric Jane

2. Adele’s

3. Hearts

BEST BUBBLE TEA

1.Eat Bubbles

2. Yin Yang Tea

3. WIN Bubble Tea

BEST BAR, READERS’ POLL: BAR SOVEREIGN

BEST BEER SELECTION, READERS’ POLL: VINYL TAP

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

EAST NASHVILLE WINE BAR

925 GALLATIN AVENUE

BEST BURGER, READERS’ POLL: BLACK TAP CRAFT BURGERS & BEER

BEST BURGER

1. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer

2. Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint

3. Cledis Burgers & Beer Garden

BEST BURRITO

1. Baja Burrito

2. Mijo Gordito

3. Cheap Charlie’s Taco Truck

BEST BUTCHER

1. Porter Road Butcher

2. Bare Bones Butcher

3. Roy’s Meat Service

BEST CAJUN

1. Gumbo Bros

2. Spicy Boy’s

3. Voodoo Gumbo

BEST CAKE BAKER (LOCAL)

1. Baked on 8th

2. Dessert Designs by Leland

3. The Cupcake Collection

BEST CANDY STORE

1. Goo Goo Cluster Shop

2. Leon’s Candy

3. Olive and Sinclair

BEST CATERER

1. Chef’s Market Cafe

2. Zulema’s Kitchen

3. TomKat’s Hospitality

BEST CAKE BAKER (LOCAL), READERS’ POLL: BAKED ON 8TH

PHOTO:

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81 VAN BUREN STREET

NASHVILLE, TN 37208

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BEST CATFISH

1. Lagniappe Bayou Kitchen

2. Uncle Bud’s Catfish

BEST CHEAP EATS

1. Campione’s Taste of Chicago

2. Cheap Charlie’s Taco Truck

BEST CHEF

1. Sean Brock, Audrey

2. Jake Howell, Peninsula

BEST CHINESE

1. Lucky Bamboo China Bistro

2. China Cottage

BEST COCKTAILS

1. Bar Sovereign

BEST COFFEEHOUSE

1. Bella Vista Coffee

2. Elegy Coffee

3. Frothy Monkey

BEST CSA/LOCAL PRODUCE

1. Delvin Farms

2. Green Door Gourmet

3. Bloomsbury Farm

BEST CRAFT BEER RETAILER

1. Corkdorks Wine & Spirits

2. The Filling Station

3. Sinkers Beverages (tie)

3. Bearded Iris Brewing (tie)

BEST CREATIVE MENU

1. Bag Lady’s Fry Joint

2. Hathorne (tie)

2. Honeytree Meadery (tie)

BEST CUPCAKES

1. The Cupcake Collection

2. Blooming Cupcakes

3. Sunflower Bakehouse

3. Edley’s BBQ

3. Dino’s

3. Maneet Chauhan, Chauhan Ale and Masala House

3. Best Wok Chinese

2. Bay 6

3. Attaboy

BEST CATFISH, READERS’ POLL: LAGNIAPPE BAYOU KITCHEN

BEST

BEST DELI

1. Mitchell Delicatessen

2. 51st Deli

3. FatBelly Pretzel Bakery & Deli

BEST DESSERT

1. Panecito KaLe

2. The Cupcake Collection

3. Christie Cookie

BEST DISTILLERY

1. Ole Smoky

2. Corsair

3. Nelson’s Green Brier

BEST DIVE BAR

1. Dino’s

2. Bar Sovereign

3. Mickey’s Tavern

BEST DOUGHNUT

1. Five Daughters Bakery

2. East Park Donuts & Coffee

3. Parlor Doughnuts

BEST FARMERS MARKET

1. East Nashville Farmers Market

2. Richland Park Farmers Market

3. Nashville Farmers’ Market

BEST FARMERS MARKET VENDOR

1. Panecito KaLe

2. The Peach Truck

3. Smiley’s Farm Produce

BEST FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE

1. DoorDash

2. Uber Eats

3. Hot Poppy

BEST FOOD TRUCK

1. Alebrije

2. Maiz de la Vida

3. The Inka Trailer

BEST FRIES

1. Bag Lady’s Fry Joint

2. Dino’s

3. Grillshack Fries & Burgers

BEST HAPPY HOUR

1. Lockeland Table

2. Answer

3. Jonathan’s Grille

BEST HOT CHICKEN

1. Hattie B’s

2. Prince’s Hot Chicken

3. Bolton’s Famous Hot Chicken and Fish

BEST HOT DOG

1. Daddy’s Dogs

2. Campione’s Taste of Chicago

3. I Dream of Weenie

BEST ICE CREAM

1. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

2. Bobbie’s Dairy Dip

3. Sarabhas Creamery

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

1. Taj Indian Restaurant

2. Chauhan Ale and Masala House

3. Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

1. Caffé Nonna

2. Tutti Da Gio

3. Coco’s Italian Market

BEST JUICE BAR

1. E+Rose Wellness Cafe

2. The Urban Juicer

3. Vui’s Juice Cafe — Berry Hill

BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT

1. Korea House Restaurant

2. Babo Korean Bar

3. Hai Woon Dai

BEST LATE-NIGHT EATS

1. Daddy’s Dogs

2. Dino’s

3. Bag Lady’s Fry Joint

BEST LIQUOR STORE

1. Sinkers Beverages

2. Corkdorks Wine & Spirits

3. Frugal MacDoogal’s

BEST MARGARITA

1. Rosepepper Cantina

2. Taco Mama

3. Bartaco

BEST MEAT-AND-THREE

1. Wendell Smith’s Restaurant

2. Bishop’s Meat & Three

3. Elliston Place Soda Shop

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT, READERS’ POLL: TAJ INDIAN RESTAURANT

BEST RESTAURANT, READERS’

BEST MEDITERRANEAN

1. Lyra

2. Greko Greek Street Food

3. Epice

BEST MEXICAN

1. Las Palmas Mexican Restaurante

2. El Fuego Restaurante

3. Cinco de Mayo Mexican Restaurant

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

1. Otto’s Bar

2. Bar Sovereign

3. Village Pub & Beer Garden

BEST NEW BAR (OPENED SINCE OCTOBER 2022)

1. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer

2. Golden Pony

3. Martha My Dear

BEST NEW RESTAURANT (OPENED SINCE OCTOBER 2022)

1. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer

2. Noko

3. Bag Lady’s Fry Joint

BEST PATIO

1. Honeytree Meadery

2. Otto’s Bar

3. Sonny’s Patio Pub & Refuge

BEST PIZZA

1. Five Points Pizza

2. Campione’s Taste of Chicago

3. Dicey’s Tavern

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH/POWER LUNCH

1. Bricktop’s

2. Campione’s Taste of Chicago

3. Bella Vista Coffee

BEST POKE

1. Island Fin Poké Co.

2. Poke Bros

3. Aloha Fish Company

BEST PLACE FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER

1. Daddy’s Dogs

2. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina

3. Bastion

BEST RESTAURANT

1. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina

2. Bastion

3. Noko

BEST RESTAURANT IN RUTHERFORD CO.

1. Demo’s Restaurant

2. La Fruta Loca

3. Taco Bell

BEST RESTAURANT IN SUMNER CO.

1. Campione’s Taste of Chicago

2. Lyncoya Café

3. Lagniappe Bayou Kitchen

BEST RESTAURANT IN WILLIAMSON CO.

1. Culaccino Italian Restaurant + Bar

2. Cork & Cow

3. Red Pony

FOOD & DRINK READERS’ POLL

POLL: BOURBON STEAK BY MICHAEL MINA

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

BEST RESTAURANT IN WILSON CO.

1. Memo’s Mexican Kitchen

2. Barrel House (tie)

2. Big Bad Wolf Smokehouse Grill (tie)

3. Demo’s Restaurant

BEST RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW

1. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina

2. Blue Moon Waterfront Grille

3. Acme Feed & Seed

BEST RIBS

1. 8 Hour BBQ

2. Peg Leg Porker

3. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

BEST ROOFTOP BAR

1. The Lookout at Ole Red

2. L.A. Jackson

3. Acme Feed & Seed

BEST SANDWICH SHOP

1. FatBelly Pretzel Bakery & Deli

2. Mitchell Delicatessen

3. Bill’s Sandwich Palace

BEST SEAFOOD

1. The Optimist

2. Henrietta Red

3. Juicy Seafood

BEST SERVICE

1. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina

2. Taco Mama

3. Noko

BEST SMALL PLATES

1. Alebrije

2. Barcelona Wine Bar

3. Lola

BEST SMOOTHIE/SMOOTHIE BOWL

1. E+Rose Wellness Cafe

2. Wild Berry Acai

3. Riptide Acai Nashville

BEST SPORTS BAR

1. Beyond the Edge

2. Neighbors

3. Double Dogs

BEST STEAKHOUSE

1. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina

2. Halls Chophouse Nashville

3. Kayne Prime Steakhouse

BEST SUSHI/JAPANESE

1. O-Ku

2. Sonobana

3. Bite a Bit Thai & Sushi

BEST SMOOTHIE/SMOOTHIE BOWL, READERS’ POLL: E+ROSE WELLNESS CAFE

cut-to-order cheese | charcuterie | cheese club wine & cheese flights | workshops | private events cheese bar | cheeseboards | grazing tables lunch | dinner | happy hour

BEST TACO

1.Alebrije

2. Mas Tacos Por Favor

3. Redheaded Stranger

BEST TAKEOUT

1.Campione’s Taste of Chicago

2. Lucky Bamboo China Bistro

3. Gully Boyz

BEST TENNESSEE WHISKEY OR BOURBON

1.Jack Daniel Distillery

2. Uncle Nearest

3. Nelson’s Green Brier

BEST THAI

1.Degthai

2. The Smiling Elephant

3. Bite a Bit Thai & Sushi

BEST THAI, READERS’ POLL: DEGTHAI

BEST VEGAN

1. The Wild Cow

2. AVO

3. The BE-Hive Deli

BEST VEGETARIAN

1. The Wild Cow

2. Sunflower Cafe

3. Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine

BEST VIETNAMESE

1. Vui’s Kitchen

2. VN Pho & Deli

3. Kien Giang Restaurant

BEST WINE LIST (RESTAURANT OR BAR)

1. The Authentique

2. Barcelona Wine Bar

3. Halls Chophouse Nashville

BEST WINE STORE

1. Woodland Wine Merchant

2. Sinkers Beverages

3. Corkdorks Wine & Spirits

BEST WINERY/VINEYARD

1. Arrington Vineyards

2. Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery

3. Grinder’s Switch Winery

BEST WINGS

1. Mijo Gordito

2. Edley’s Bar-B-Que

3. Germantown Pub

exciting new dishes that showcase the bounty of the region as the seasons change. The physical changes to the space also hit the mark. Previously, the kitchen was shut off from the dining room, concealing the work of some of Nashville’s most talented chefs. The new open kitchen offers views of the staff taking advantage of a dramatic wood-fired oven to give a kiss of smoke to vegetables, meats and pizzas. The iconic rathskeller structure of the dining room remains intact, but the vaulted ceilings have been painted in pinks and peaches accented with contemporary touches like pendant lamps and natural materials like metal, wood, leather and stone.

While some fans lament the redesign of the Oak Bar — rotated 90 degrees and stripped of the dark wood and clubby ambience — once you get over the new orientation and realize that the cocktail menu and whiskey collection are both still top-notch, it really is a lovely place to enjoy a drink among friends. The Hermitage has also finally achieved potty parity by upgrading the ladies’ room into a bright-pink Instagrammable inner sanctum to match the lime-green and ebony Art Deco elan of the award-winning men’s room.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST NEW RESTAURANT KISSER

There was something sort of hopeful and freeing about the food pop-ups that popped up during the pandemic. Yes, they were born of necessity and some of panic, and the circumstances either encouraged or forced folks to put things on the menu that they might not have tried otherwise. That was the situation for Leina

BEST RESTAURANT DRUSIE & DARR

When the Hermitage Hotel announced plans to replace the venerable Capitol Grille with Drusie & Darr, a new restaurant concept from acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, some feared the character of the dining experience would change markedly to the sort of tweezer-plated food that wins Michelin stars instead of the seasonal farm-to-table fare that Nashvillians have enjoyed there for years. These worries were quickly allayed as Jean-Georges and his executive chef Kelsi Armijo have created a new restaurant that fits into Nashville just fine. During a visit to celebrate the restaurant’s oneyear anniversary in the spring, Vongerichten was clearly conscious of the reputation of the Capitol Grille and respected its place in the community, noting: “This city has a lot of soul and history. It feels like a new town with a backbone of history. We want to be part of the local culinary scene by offering the best of what we do in New York City without getting too fancy.”

Jean-Georges and Armijo made it a point to visit the local producers and farmers that had supplied the Capitol Grille’s kitchen, and now that Armijo is taking her second lap around the culinary calendar, she demonstrates considerable expertise, consistently creating

Horii and Brian Lea. Alums of some of the city’s best restaurants (including Husk Nashville, Le Sel, The Catbird Seat and Bastion), the couple thought that eventually, when they opened their first restaurant together, it would feature Japanese fine dining. Lucky for all of us, during the pandemic they started selling Japanese comfort food such as onigiri — seasoned, filled rice balls — at farmers markets, The Patterson House and other locations. The wild popularity encouraged them to focus the menu at Kisser, their lunch-only spot with Strategic Hospitality, on those foods. The anticipation for Kisser to open in 2023 was real, and the team lived up to the hype. Named as an homage to kissaten, Japanese neighborhood hangouts, Kisser is exactly what the Nashville food scene needed.

Make your way to Highland Yards on the East Side and wait in line with others for the doors to open. Then you’ll take a seat amid the small, bright, minimalist Japanese-Scandinavian decor, which is stylish and comfortable, but allows the food to be the star. The open kitchen, though, offers a peak at the culinary stars behind the scenes. Bring a friend (or two or three) if you can, so you can reasonably order more of the menu, such as the aforementioned onigiri, chicken katsu and other sandwiches, noodles, yellowtail and breakfasts (the latter on weekends only). Many of the recipes are derived from foods Horii ate as a child, including inari, a dish made of tofu skin and rice, seasonal vegetables and seafood. Udon is made daily, and if you’re there on a day with curry udon on the menu, consider yourself lucky and order it. The miso crème brûlée is the dessert must. (Feel free to put in your dessert order when you place your

BEST RESTAURANT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: DRUSIE & DARR

BEST NEW RESTAURANT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: KISSER

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

lunch order if there’s something you really don’t want to miss.) The menu is focused but not sparse, and there are plenty of options for those who eschew gluten and meat. Beverages include sake, beer and nonalcoholic drinks such as locally beloved High Garden teas. And because the menu is so seasonally focused, it changes often and therefore provides an excuse to go back often. Kisser doesn’t take reservations, and waiting for a table in the vibey Highland Yards space feels like a communal experience of anticipation and joy.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST CHEF

JOSH HABIGER

When the prestigious James Beard Awards announced their winner for Best Chef: Southeast on June 5, a lot of people really thought this would be Josh Habiger’s year — but it didn’t happen. We at the Scene, however, enthusiastically endorse Josh as the best chef in Nashville. Why should he have won the Beard this year? He was the only repeat nominee, having been named as a semifinalist four times since 2018. He has helmed the kitchen at several different Nashville restaurants, and each was widely considered among the best, if not the very best in town, while he worked there: The Catbird Seat, Pinewood Social and Bastion, each also a Beard nominee during Habiger’s tenure.

This is all even more remarkable when you realize that when he first moved to Nashville to work as general manager at The Patterson House, his bosses at Strategic Hospitality didn’t even know he could cook. Josh took on the new project during a break from the kitchen after years working on the opening team of Grant Achatz’s revolutionary Chicago restaurant, Alinea. Oh, and The Patterson House was also a two-time Beard nominee while Habiger managed.

Why didn’t he win the Beard? Josh doesn’t have a huge presence on social media, nor does he seek out national TV appearances or put out a new cookbook every 18 months. He spends his time making the dining experience at Bastion as extraordinary as he can. He’s hosted pop-ups to throw the spotlight on up-and-coming chefs, including Julio Hernandez, Michael Hanna, Edgar Victoria, and Brian Lea and Leina Horii. Many of these chefs have worked in Josh’s kitchen, as has Brian Baxter, the current chef at The Catbird Seat. Together they represent the next generation of local talent, those who have already opened the most acclaimed or the most anticipated restaurants of 2023. Josh truly serves as a major pipeline of talent that is pushing Nashville forward. He’s the quiet chef everyone in Nashville admires as being the best. And we do, too!

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST NEW ITALIAN ST. VITO FOCACCERIA

Michael Hanna’s St. Vito Focacceria isn’t exactly new. Centered on the former Catbird Seat and Rolf and Daughters chef’s remarkable sfincione pizzas, St. Vito has hopped around in a variety of locations over the past few years, sharing kitchens on both the East Side and the West Side. But this year Hanna finally set up a shop of his own right in the middle of the city, where his full-time brick-and-mortar establishment St. Vito Focacceria is already working absolute wonders. In addition to the always-superb sfincione (don’t sleep on the potato sfincione, or the Classic Vito), Hanna has been riffing on stracciatella, pastas, salads and a whole lot more — with great success. Throw in decadent desserts created with former Catbird Seat pastry chef Mayme Gretsch, and you’ve got one of the most delightful, satisfying rotating menus of any new spot in Nashville — Italian or otherwise.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST NEW PIZZA (TIE) FRANKIE’S NASHVILLE

Brought to you by the folks behind the popular Brooklyn eateries Frankie’s 457 Spuntino and F&F Pizzeria, Frankie’s brings legit New Yorkstyle pies to East Nashville. Best of all, they offer slices (though online ordering is for whole

pies only). There are typically several options, including a solid Sicilian slice for those who like thicker crust, but my favorites are the classic cheese — the perfect balance of cheese, a great tomato sauce and thin crust — and pepperoni. I’m excited to check out their just-opened fullservice restaurant Frankie’s 925 Spuntino, not to mention The Bottega, an Italian specialty market, all located in a new complex on Cherokee Avenue.

JACK SILVERMAN

BEST NEW PIZZA (TIE) PINKY RING PIZZA

Opened in a former Sir Pizza location in Madison nearly one year ago, restaurant vet Don Hernandez’s Pinky Ring Pizza swiftly joined the ranks of Nashville’s best locally owned pizza spots. It features an extensive beer and nonalcoholic drink selection, great salads and a first-rate lineup of small bites — don’t sleep on that garlic focaccia, one of the tastiest garlic-bread options in town. But most obviously and most importantly, Pinky Ring has an all-killer-no-filler selection of pies, from classic options like pepperoni, Supreme and a New York-inspired classic cheese to inventive selections including the Esmerelda (made with lamb and a pistachio-pesto base), the Pickle (with ricotta, Calabrian chilis and, yes, dill pickles) and the protein-loaded Meat Sweats. Naturally, you can make additions or do half-

BEST CHEF, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JOSH HABIGER PHOTO: ANDREW THOMAS LEE

BEST NEW ITALIAN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: ST. VITO FOCACCERIA

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

and-half options. Whatever you go with, you can’t go wrong.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST BURGER

GABBY’S BURGERS & FRIES

Second only to gourmet taco joints, restaurants serving upscale smash burgers seem to be the fastest-growing segment of Nashville’s culinary scene. Gabby’s was making delicious burgers smashed onto a hot griddle long before we diners knew that was something we craved, and they continue to do it extraordinarily well and without pretentiousness. Owner Doug Havron wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s a no-nonsense guy with an equally straightforward menu of grass-fed burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes. (Although there is a little fun nonsense on the “secret menu,” items devised by and named after favorite customers. You’ll have to ask for the password.)

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST SANDWICH

LOMO SANDWICH AT LECHE DE TIGRE

Featuring strips of sirloin, huancaina sauce, onions and tomatoes, the lomo saltado sandwich at The Wash’s Peruvian outpost Leche de Tigre

takes the cake as the city’s best. Unlike some of Nashville’s most celebrated sandwiches, the lomo is not a saucy, sloppy mess — its rich flavors are contained by buttery French bread. Get it with fries and a beer from The Wash’s Bay 6, or one of the various Peruvian drinks on offer at Leche de Tigre. In addition to the lomo sandwich, the menu includes a range of ceviches, a Peruvian take on fried rice and more worthy of trying on followup visits.

STEPHEN ELLIOTT

BEST CUBAN SANDWICH SOY CUBANO

A well-executed Cuban sandwich is about precision. There’s just so much that can go wrong. The bread needs to be thin, substantive enough to keep the sandwich together, but still have plenty of give. The classic Cuban — which hails not from Cuba but from Cuban immigrants in South Florida — includes two types of pork: ham and mojo-roasted. If the roasted pork is under-braised or fatty, you’re in for some unpleasant gnawing. Layer either protein on too thick, and you’re battling a mouthful of salt. But fear not. The folks at Soy Cubano have got this. Their beautiful Cuban comes sliced neatly into textbook triangles. Sink into the thin toasted

roll first, followed by the tender salty ham. Next, take in the juicy umami of roasted pork, before confronting the pleasant crunch of a thin-cut pickle. Finally, let the acid elements take over — the sharp tang of bright-yellow mustard, a bubbly blanket of nutty Swiss, the sour brine of pickle juice. Then do it all again. Most Cuban sandwiches just can’t pull it all off at once. An exquisite one like this is a find.

RADLEY BALKO

BEST BRUNCH LOU

The only time I left a brunch at Lou disappointed was the time they sold out of their delectable buckwheat, chocolate maple and malt butter pancakes before I arrived. It’s worth making a reservation just to pick up that signature dish, but they change up their menu enough to inspire repeat visits. I’m an especially big fan of their frozen dessert experiments, from soy sauce ice cream (I loved it! My tablemates did not) to a cantaloupe sorbet. The restaurant’s location in a renovated house in Inglewood only adds to the spot’s breezy brunch vibes. COLE

VILLENA

BEST NEW BAGEL SPOT ALL OR NOTHING BAGELS

Ask any Nashvillian what this city’s food scene is missing and you’ll get one of two answers: authentic Chinese and a decent bagel. Chinese may still be elusive, but the bagels just keep getting better. All or Nothing Bagels offers a simple choice: everything (“All”) and plain (“Nothing”) sourdough bagels, wood-fired to perfection and slathered with homemade schmears. They’ve come a long way since popping up with a folding table and an Ooni pizza oven outside of Nelson Drum Shop on Riverside — they’re now a permanent fixture, with a tricked-out Airstream and a portable wood-fire oven. Their everything bagel with Calabrian chili cream cheese will vaporize all of your “Nashville doesn’t have good bagels” memories. LANCE CONZETT

(SECOND-)BEST HOT CHICKEN 400 DEGREES

All right, so I’m breaking the rules a little bit with this category. (I’ve been here long enough — I get to do that.) As the Scene’s readers and

BEST BURGER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: GABBY’S BURGERS & FRIES

BEST CUBAN SANDWICH, WRITERS’ CHOICE: SOY CUBANO

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST NEW BAGEL SPOT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: ALL OR NOTHING BAGELS

(SECOND-)BEST HOT CHICKEN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: 400 DEGREES

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

DOWNTOWNNASHVILLE

DOWNTOWNNASHVILLE

DOWNTOWNNASHVILLE

Our Tennessee-to-table menus are crafted from the highest quality ingredients, unique Southern flavors and a distinct modern twist. Plan your next gathering in our private dining roomlocated at Grand Hyatt Nashville.

Our Tennessee-to-table menus are crafted from the highest quality ingredients, unique Southern flavors and a distinct modern twist. Plan your next gathering in our private dining roomlocated at Grand Hyatt Nashville.

Our Tennessee-to-table menus are crafted from the highest quality ingredients, unique Southern flavors and a distinct modern twist. Plan your next gathering in our private dining roomlocated at Grand Hyatt Nashville.

DOWNTOWNNASHVILLE

DOWNTOWNNASHVILLE

Our Tennessee-to-table menus are crafted from the highest quality ingredients, unique Southern flavors and a distinct modern twist. Plan your next gathering in our private dining roomlocated at Grand Hyatt Nashville.

Our Tennessee-to-table menus are crafted from the highest quality ingredients, unique

Our Tennessee-to-table menus are crafted from the highest quality ingredients, unique Southern flavors and a distinct modern twist. Plan your next gathering in our private dining

writers alike have noted time and again, the Prince family — the originators of the nowglobal phenomenon hot chicken — simply can’t be beaten at their own game. Miss André Prince Jeffries and the rest of the folks at longtime Nashville institution Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack make Nashville’s best hot chicken. Period. But in the interest of spreading the love around a bit, we’re officially awarding

(Second)-Best

Hot Chicken to 400 Degrees. Founder Aqui Hines and her team have been at it for more than a decade now, cooking up first-rate fiery fowl with four different heat levels (0 Degrees, 100 Degrees, 200 Degrees and a dangerously powerful full-heat 400 Degrees). Now they’ve got locations both on Clarksville Pike and in the Nashville International Airport, where hopefully they’ll be whipping up authentic, blazing-hot chicken for many years to come.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST BAR

LAKESIDE LOUNGE

There are many stellar upscale cocktail bars in Nashville. But for a non-touristy, old-school bar where you can actually get good drinks? You want Lakeside Lounge. Mix their Attaboy-owned pedigree and Edgefield Sports Bar history and you get the best of both worlds. The last time I was there, I had a tasty frozen drink (Penichillin: scotch, ginger, lemon, honey), played darts, simultaneously watched Terminator 2 and the Westminster Dog Show, ate cheese fries, and argued with a bartender about Nicolas Cage’s best movie. (It’s The Rock and nobody can tell me otherwise.) It’s a chill place, literally and figuratively, and the fact that they put an “XPRESSO” martini on their menu? Icing on the mispronunciation cake.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST NEW BAR GOLDEN PONY

In just a few short months since opening in the spring, Golden Pony has become the go-to bar for me and my friends. Serving up delicious bespoke cocktails and yummy snacks in a cozy bohemian space in East Nashville’s Highland Yards, Golden Pony has arrived as a prime destination for cute dates, conversations with old friends, or a night out with the girls. Sporting midcentury modern design, a very friendly staff and a queer-centric vibe, it’s a real gem of a bar in a city that already has a lot to offer. And don’t get me started about the gorgeous mirrors in the bathrooms.

OLIVIA BLAKE

BEST HAPPY HOUR ROZE PONY

On the West Side, Sperry’s has long been king of happy hour, but there’s a friendly coup brewing around the corner. From 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, Roze Pony offers a $9 martini menu built on the traditional gin. (Though, yes, you can substitute vodka if you must.) Pair that with $3 fries, $5 crudités and addictive miso ranch, or $2 raw oysters that come with zingy mignonette and Roze’s signature bloody mary sauce. My hack: Go work at the bar around 2:30 so you’re

BEST WINE BAR

VAN GOGH’S

WINE BAR

Van Gogh’s Wine Bar is the perfect place to meet up and escape the office. The outdoor patio and porch are super cute, plus the wine (especially the dry rosé) always hits. Their five house wines are $7 at any time of day, meaning the happy-hour energy is always there. If you do go around happy hour, to avoid a late-evening hangover, order the whipped feta with tiny toasts — it’s excellent. You can also get a seemingly never-ending bowl of award-winning Brussels sprouts. Cheers.

HANNAH HERNER

BEST DIVE BETTY’S GRILL

I’m much more likely to attend a show if I know it’s at Betty’s. The longtime Nashville haunt is obviously nothing fancy, but it’s played host to some legendary shows, from face-melting metal and noise to Americana and much more. The string lights, silver tinsel and random decorations add to the charm, as do the cold beer and bar food that always hits the spot. It’s one of

the few remaining places in Nashville that feel frozen in time, and I’ll raise my glass to that any day.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST LATE-NIGHT BAR LUCKY’S 3 STAR

When you know that Pearl Diver’s Jamie White is behind Lucky’s 3 Star, it all makes sense. While the vibe is decidedly dive bar, the backbone is cheffy, in that “yes, it’s a hot dog, but it’s a friggin’ killer hot dog” way. Play a game of pool or watch an in-booth TV. Grab a gin Rickey or a Coors Banquet. Pair either with a Frito pie or a $7 Curry Dog (potato, scallion, garlic, fried onions, Japanese curry) that blows anything Daddy’s Dogs makes out of the water. (Sorry, Phil.) The best part? This place will be as packed at 2 a.m. as 8 p.m. — if not more.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO HOT NEIGHBORHOODS STREETCAR TAPS & TAVERN

Sylvan Park/Heights and The Nations are definitely two of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in Nashville, and both have made great strides to improve access to walkable bars and restaurants over the past few years. But they remain

divided by Interstate 40, a barrier that few residents seem to want to walk underneath. Carter Hach aims to change that with his new Streetcar Taps & Tavern. From his German/Southern melange of a menu of elevated gastropub fare, to a convivial beer garden tucked behind the restaurant between Charlotte and the interstate, Streetcar is worth braving the few-block walk. Venture out, people!

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST BREAKFAST SANDWICH

DOZEN’S FOCACCIA EGG SANDWICH

A good breakfast sandwich can kick-start your day or help you recover from a long night out. Dozen’s Focaccia Egg Sandwich has all the makings of a great sandwich — sesame honey focaccia, eggs, romesco, arugula and cheddar — but the bakery’s masterfully baked bread takes this from a solid a.m. stack to an inimitable dish. It’s no surprise, as we highlighted the bakery as Best Bread Mad Science in last year’s BON awards. You can also add meat from Murfreesboro’s The Hamery (surprise! They make ham) for some added saltiness.

COLE VILLENA

RICE DEGTHAI’S JUST A FRIED RICE

BEST FRIED

I want fried rice to be a satisfying meal, and yet it all too often arrives presented like a glorified side dish. Not so with Degthai’s Just a Fried Rice. Huge (huge!) slices of chicken, tofu or shrimp — along with full florets of broccoli, pieces of egg, onion and, of course, rice — fill out this substantial meal (or two meals). Black pepper brings a little heat, but the dish’s spice is mild enough for the faint of heart. On a menu full of incredibly tasty dishes (shout out to the Kra Prao Moo Kai Dao, in particular), don’t skip over this classic.

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST CHICKEN ROZE PONY’S CHICKEN PAILLARD

Sometimes you just need a good piece of chicken. “Paillard” sounds like an intimidating technique, but guess what — it’s just French for “pounded meat,” or taking a big mallet to a boneless piece of protein. The technique is magic because it gives the chicken maximum surface area for browning and cooks it evenly. At Roze Pony, they supercharge their paillard with seasoning, crisp it, and then top it with a fresh, zippy salad. Crunchy watercress, green olives, slow-roasted tomatoes, capers and ricotta salata are the ideal combo of salt, crunch and umami for a daytime dish that eats like a salad but still satisfies.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST PULLED-PORK SANDWICH OOH WEE BAR-B-Q

Pulled-pork barbecue is king in my home state of North Carolina, and no one in Nashville makes a better pulled-pork sandwich than OohWee. It’s a fun place to take friends from back home — the joint is located in a trailer off Jefferson Street, where the smell of smoked meats wafts through the air, so it feels like a real hidden gem in a city of solid but more buttoned-up

poised and ready for when the budget oysters and gin arrive at 4 p.m. ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST WINE BAR, WRITERS’ CHOICE: VAN GOGH’S WINE BAR

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST CHICKEN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: ROZE PONY’S CHICKEN PAILLARD

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

Photograph by: Christen Clemins

barbecue chains. Grab an order of fried okra and a fruit tea to finish off your meal.

COLE VILLENA

BEST FRIED POTATO DISH CRAZY FRIES AT GYRO PLUS

The name of this item is good, old-fashioned, honest advertising. These fries are crazy. Gyro Plus does them perfectly — crispy, classic fries

with a light dusting of a sweet and spicy seasoning blend. The crisp factor is how they hold up so well with a metric ton of items on top: gyro meat, chicken, tzatziki, tabouli salad, jalapeño, feta (they hook it up) and then whatever else you want on top. You should eat it with a fork, but you don’t have to.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST DEEP DISH GIO’S CHICAGO PIZZA

Gio’s Chicago Pizza isn’t as established as other deep-dish purveyors in Nashville (or as visible, since they operate out of the Citizen Kitchens commissary in the Nations). But their deep-dish pies are genuinely just as great as what you’ll find in Chicagoland’s greatest G-named pizzerias. That’s thanks to head chef Greg Knotek, who cut his teeth in both fine dining kitchens and at Al’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in the Chicago suburbs. Don’t sleep on the also-tasty tavern-style pizza, baked with a thinner crust and cut with a square “party cut” for sharing.

COLE VILLENA

BEST GYOZA TWO TEN JACK’S WAGYU GYOZA

The humble dumpling needs robust flavor to stand out, which is why they tend to be filled with shrimp or pork. Beef is often too subtle. This is the exception. Served with a hybrid amazu/ponzu sauce, the wagyu gyoza at Two Ten Jack come in a neat little row on your standard rectangular gyoza plate. But the first bite tells you these are different. The bottom is nicely

browned and crispy, a pleasant contrast to the toothsome dough folded on top. That dough then provides just a hint of resistance before a rich, beefy broth spills onto your lips (and probably down your chin). The beef inside has the texture of your favorite burger, with about twice the flavor. It’s a great dumpling.

RADLEY BALKO

BEST DUMPLING MENU DUMPLING HOUSE

One of the ongoing marvels of the way Nashville’s dining options have been evolving through the past couple of decades is the staggering array of options available. But the elusive part remains getting — for lack of better words — “the love” right. Dumpling House on Belcourt Avenue does exceptional dumplings, freshly made. (Pan-fried chicken coriander is the personal fave, but every variety has been exquisite so far.) But what they’ve mastered is “the love.” Long-term Nashvillians who’ve missed the je ne sais quoi of Taste of Tokyo, that unqualifiable vibe that makes a place feel right, already know that there is a gem in Hillsboro Village, exceptional dining with neighborhood-haunt ambience JASON SHAWHAN

BEST PULLED-PORK SANDWICH, WRITERS’ CHOICE: OOH WEE BAR-B-Q

BEST FRIED POTATO DISH, WRITERS’ CHOICE: CRAZY FRIES AT GYRO PLUS

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST GYOZA, WRITERS’ CHOICE: TWO TEN JACK’S WAGYU GYOZA

BEST DUMPLING MENU, WRITERS’ CHOICE: DUMPLING HOUSE

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

Let us help you navigate our wide variety of alcohol-free wines, spirits, and beers. Plus, you can try samples! Now you can stock your bar with sophisticated drinks you’ll love and ditch the hangover.

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spice, heat and salt. One day, other menu items. One day.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST UZBEK RESTAURANT OSH

At the risk of sounding like a 13-year-old boy, Osh — Nashville’s first Uzbek restaurant — had me at jiz-biz, which internet research reveals is a traditional Uzbek dish created eons ago by shepherds. What our plate of chicken jiz-biz revealed was tender chunks of roast chicken sautéed with onions, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, served with a scoop of saffron-flecked rice and a ramekin of minty yogurt. It’s highly unlikely I’ll ever travel to Uzbekistan, but Osh delivers a delectable deep dive into the country’s specialties, from savory starters like somsa and suzma to the crispy, cheesy, subtly sweet dessert kunefe.

KAY WEST

BEST PIEROGIES UPSTATE PIEROGI CO.

Many years ago, my wife and I attempted to embrace her Polish heritage and start a Christmas pierogi-making tradition: mashing potatoes, making the dough, attempting to roll them in such a way that they wouldn’t explode all over the damn place. It’s hard work, but Derek Shampine at Upstate Pierogi Co. makes it look easy. Shampine made a pandemic pivot from tour managing to lovingly re-creating the dumplings of his childhood, hand-making classics like Pierogi Ruskie and experiments like Beef Bulgogi and Philly Cheesesteak. Next time, skip the Mrs. T’s in the Kroger freezer and seek out the real deal.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST COMFORT FOOD XIAO BAO

Husband-and-wife team Joshua Walker and Duolan Li opened the second outpost of their acclaimed Charleston, S.C., restaurant Xiao Bao in East Nashville in October 2022, and it’s been a revelation for Nashvillians lamenting the dearth of good Chinese food options — though to be clear, Xiao Bao’s menu also includes Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese influences. Highlights include the spectacular hand-pulled noodles, okonomiyaki (a savory shredded vegetable pancake), Cha Ca Hanoi fish and crab fried rice. At lunch, try the savory fried mochi dumplings and my fave, the som tum chicken — fermented-soy-marinated black-bean chicken with spicy papaya salad.

JACK SILVERMAN

BEST PASTA DISH LAMB RAGU AT IL FORNO

Everything at Il Forno was excellent when my fiancée and I booked a table for a fancy night out. But what I’m still thinking about months later is the lamb ragu. Served over hearty noodles, it’s bursting with rich, complex but perfectly balanced flavors developed from slow cooking — something I appreciate more and more these days. It tastes like someone who loves me knows I’m coming over for dinner, and you can’t beat that.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST CARIBBEAN JAMAICAWAY

This longtime eatery located in a corner of the Nashville Farmers’ Market may appear unassuming, but it almost always has a line out its doors. Serving traditional Jamaican cuisine, Jamaicaway takes you on a trip to owner Ouida Bradshaw’s hometown of Mandeville. Her recipes are unique, and the meals send you on a flavorful vacation you’ll never want to return from. They serve everything from spicy beef patties and classic jerk chicken to hearty, mouthwatering entrées like curry goat and red snapper filet (SO JUICY)!

JAYME FOLTZ

BEST SHABU SHABU

SHABU SHABU HOT POT & GRILL

For experiential dining, Shabu Shabu Hot Pot & Grill offers a fun and interactive experience. Shabu shabu, the dish, is a Japanese hotpot made up of a medley of vegetables and thinly sliced meats. Shabu Shabu Hot Pot & Grill offers hotpots in a range of spiciness, as well as Korean-style barbecue. A cornucopia of uncooked meats and vegetables are beautifully displayed for diners as a food train snakes through the dining room, offering ready-to-cook noodles and more vegetables — all ready for a hotpot bath

BEST GUMBO SPICY BOY’S

Every time I go to Cleveland Park Cajun joint Spicy Boy’s, I tell myself, “I’m not going to get the gumbo this time. There’s a whole world of Creole cuisine to explore, today’s going to be different.” Then I get one whiff of the gumbo and immediately cave. A great gumbo has depth, and you could get lost in the densely layered stew cooked up by Spicy Boy’s — it has all the right elements, working beautifully together for an utterly addicting combination of smoke,

BEST TRUFFLE DISH NOKO’S THE DISTRICT SANDO

JANET KURTZ

or the table-centered grills. Novice diners need not worry, as the team at Shabu Shabu expertly guides guests through the experience.

Truffles are overrated. I’m sick of having them trotted out and shaved over pasta that, if it were properly balanced to start, shouldn’t need them! Thus I did not order this sandwich, but I’m thrilled that they brought it anyway. Listed under “Rich & Savory,” this sandwich is essentially a grilled cheese with prosciutto, truffle aioli, white cheddar cheese and togarashi — a Japanese spice mix packed with fragrant ingredients like roasted orange peel, sesame seeds and red chili pepper. The funk of truffle mayo makes an odd, delightful symphony with the earthy togarashi, salty ham and creamy, oozy cheddar. All you pointless truffle shavers, take note.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST CHEESE THING

ROBERTA’S STRACCIATELLA AT URBAN COWBOY PUBLIC HOUSE

If you see “stracciatella” on a menu and don’t know what you’re getting, you’re forgiven. The word, meaning “little rags,” refers to three different Italian foods: cheese, soup and gelato. All are delicious, but today we praise the first. Stracciatella was born in Puglia in the early 1900s, when Italians mixed scraps from mozzarella-making with fresh cream. You’ve got cream.

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST CARIBBEAN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JAMAICAWAY

BEST TRUFFLE DISH, WRITERS’ CHOICE: NOKO’S THE DISTRICT SANDO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

FOOD & DRINK WRITERS’ CHOICE

You’ve got cheese. Do I even need to continue?

Seasoned simply with sea salt and cracked pepper, Roberta’s stracciatella at Urban Cowboy is rich, stringy, cheesy, slurpy fun. Bonus fact: Burrata is just stracciatella wrapped in mozzarella casing.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST FRIED THING RED PERCH LUMPIA

Think an egg roll can’t be improved upon?

Think smaller. Red Perch’s lumpia, aka Filipino egg rolls, are made of deeply spiced ground meat and shrimp stuffed into a crepe-like pastry skin and deep-fried. They’re wrapped as tight as Kramer’s cigars — no small feat when you consider chef Cameron Payne stands a full 6 feet tall and has hands to match. Most of all, they’re bite-size, which makes them endlessly poppable, especially when dunked in the side of sweet chili they come with. Sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy goodness.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST PRETZEL FATBELLY PRETZEL BAKERY & DELI

I never thought much about pretzels until Kim and Levon Wallace started selling them in 2020. Now I can’t get enough of them — and the FatBelly Pretzel Bakery & Deli location in East Nashville makes them a little too easy to get my hands on. Fatbelly’s signature pretzels are crispy and chewy, made even better when dipped into one of several delicious sauces. But for the Wallaces, a pretzel can be many different things — like a danish, cookie filling or vehicle to stuff delicious flavor combinations in. When pretzels can be utilized in so many forms and flavors, they never get old.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST RICE BOWL EAST SIDE PHO’S CHICKEN HAI NAM

If chicken is your thing, it’s hard to beat the Chicken Hai Nam rice bowl at East Side Pho. It features a generous helping of poached chicken meat, chicken-fat jasmine rice, crispy bits of

fried chicken skin, pickled red onion, a divine sesame-ginger-soy dipping sauce and a side of bone broth. I’ve eaten it nearly once a week since I discovered it. And vegetarians, check out the fabulous Veggie Bun Rieu Soup, featuring Impossible meatballs, mushrooms, tofu, tomatoes, rice noodles and tamarind broth with traditional garnishes. Of course, there’s some great pho too. Find ESP at The Wash mini-food hall in East Nashville.

JACK SILVERMAN

BEST MILKSHAKE JOYLAND’S COLD BREW MILKSHAKE

I won’t say the best reason to get the cold brew milkshake at Joyland is so you don’t have to

share with your children, but it is definitely a reason to get it. (Don’t worry, the child in this scenario will have their own treat. They just won’t be trying mine.) The real best reason to get this milkshake is that the consistency and flavor match exactly what I expect from a coffee milkshake. You have to really taste the Osa brand coffee, but no one wants a runny, liquid situation. Joyland definitely hits the sweet spot.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST HANGOVER BITE

XIAO BAO’S EGG AND CHEESE BAO

Most gua bao in Nashville are too dense. I’m not Chinese and thus know nothing, but I do know

BEST FRIED THING, WRITERS’ CHOICE: RED PERCH LUMPIA

BEST PRETZEL, WRITERS’ CHOICE: FATBELLY PRETZEL BAKERY & DELI

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST MILKSHAKE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JOYLAND’S COLD BREW MILKSHAKE

BEST COMFORT FOOD, WRITERS’ CHOICE: XIAO BAO’S EGG AND CHEESE BAO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

they should be more pillow than puck. I’ve eaten the latter, and I did not like them! So I was thrilled to discover the bao Platonic ideal at Xiao Bao. The light, steamed buns (bao means “bun” — don’t be redundant and say “bao bun”) are legitimately ethereal in that they are too good for this world. The breakfast bao is stuffed with fluffy scrambled egg and topped with barely melting American cheese for a salty, savory pick-me-up. It’s a high-low, American-Chinese, lunch-breakfast miracle — just don’t call it a bun.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST PIMENTO CHEESE BARE BONES BUTCHER

Making pimento cheese sucks. To do it well, you have to grate the cheese yourself, which always leads to sore arms and bloody knuckles. So I’m always on the hunt for a grab-and-go version, and Bare Bones delivers. The ingredients are simple — sharp cheddar, cream cheese, peppers — but they pickle the pimentos themselves, and that makes all the difference. Extra sharp and zingy, this spread is savory and satisfying on crackers, but I bet it would be even better on their already-Best-of-Nashville-winning burger. ... Think it over, boys.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST COOKIE HOMESTYLE BAKERY’S BROWNIE COOKIE

To be totally truthful, there’s not a damn thing in this bakery I don’t inhale upon purchase. They made a badass Mario Kart cake for my daughter’s birthday, and they are just the right level of nice for customer service. We’re not having a long convo, but we’re liking each other’s shirt, making the purchase and getting gone. The shop’s brownie cookie stands out among HomeStyle Bakery’s delicious selection of sweets. In my mind, the best part of a brownie is the edge — crispy and buttery and rich and a little bit chewy. They nail it.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST HOT SAUCE MY SAUCE LAB

The owners — aka the “saucy scientists” — of My Sauce Lab know what they’re doing. Their

curated collection of hot sauces doesn’t just add spice to a dish, but builds flavor with interesting ingredients like tamarind, cocoa and Champagne vinegar. Also, importantly, the heat level of each sauce isn’t so overwhelming that it detracts from the dining experience. With six flavors to choose from, My Sauce Lab makes it easy to find your next favorite and explore different flavor profiles.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST MARG/QUESO COMBO EL FUEGO

BEST WAY TO FILL THAT ARNOLD’SSIZE HOLE IN YOUR HEART SILVER SANDS CAFE

It’s said that the main distinction between soul food and Nashville’s iconic meat-and-three fare is who is doing the cooking. While Arnold’s is lost and lamented, Silver Sands is another family-owned restaurant with a very familiar setup. You still order your choice of delicious meats and vegetables from a steam table, and daily offerings like fried chicken, catfish and pork chops are augmented with daily specials such as turkey-and-dressing, meatloaf and pork ribs that are definitely reminiscent of the Arnold’s experience. Add in classic soul-food dishes like oxtails, neck bones and hog maws, and it might be (dare I say it?) even better.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST SECRET DINING EXPERIENCE RABBIT HOLE

SERENA ISBELL

East Nashville’s El Fuego has earned years of success from word of mouth. Even with only one bar, Inglewood Lounge, in sight from the restaurant, El Fuego’s reputation still manages to fill two parking lots and all nearby roadside parking Thursday through Sunday. House margaritas go for $5.99 and pair well with authentic Mexican dishes such as tacos al pastor and alambres. But what really keeps people coming back is their house-made queso. Arguably the best queso in town, this combination makes for an affordable date night or family outing.

the move, but Stacy is hungry — and she only wants snacks. Solution: The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club. We already know The Fox offers a diverse, inventive selection of cocktails (it’s been selected Best Bar by our readers and Best Craft Cocktail Bar by our writers in past Best of Nashville issues), but we’re talking about food tonight. Specifically, the summer trend so popular that it earned features from The New York Times, The Washington Post and Food & Wine, among others: girl dinner. And the best girl dinner in town is this: You’re ordering The Fox’s miso deviled eggs (probably two orders — they are that good) and one large pick-your-own-charcuterie board. The East Nashville spot has everyone covered, thanks to a vegan menu in addition to a wide selection of meat and cheese offerings.

There’s something extraordinary taking place behind closed doors at Henley in the Kimpton Aertson Hotel, if you’re in the know. After a complimentary cocktail at Henley’s bar, a host whisks your party through a secret passageway in the library to a private booth in the kitchen, where chef Kristin Beringson creates 10-plus courses just for you and your guests. Inspired by the freshest ingredients, the menu changes at her whim, and it is presented without pretension or undue tweezer work.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST GIRL DINNER THE FOX BAR & COCKTAIL CLUB

It’s after 5 p.m. and you’re making plans with the girls. You agree that cocktails are definitely

AMANDA MATSUI

BEST PLACE TO GO WITH A BIG PARTY VON ELROD’S BEER HALL & KITCHEN

Sometimes it happens. The Sounds game gets rained out or part of your dining party is stuck in traffic, and you miss your intended reservation time. What to do? Head to Von Elrod’s, where they can almost always seat a large group together at their long Viking-style tables. Most folks can find something to love from the menu of inventive sausages, brisket, tacos and craft beer that will make you forget all about the weather or that damned backup on Ellington Parkway that made you late.

CHRIS

CHAMBERLAIN

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST COOKIE , WRITERS’ CHOICE: HOMESTYLE BAKERY’S BROWNIE COOKIE

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST GIRL DINNER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: THE FOX BAR & COCKTAIL CLUB

A NASHVILLE ORIGINAL FOR 20 YEARS

THANK YOU NASHVILLE FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT SINCE DAY ONE! COME HELP US CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF BEER AND TOAST TO THE FUTURE.

BEST BREWERY FOR LASTMINUTE GATHERINGS

TAILGATE BREWERY WEST

It’s tough to choose where to go when you’re holding a group outing but aren’t sure how many people are going to show up. Is the place going to have enough room? Will it feel weird if only a few people show? My go-to spot for these situations is TailGate Brewery’s flagship location in West Nashville. The backyard space has scores of picnic tables for groups of all sizes, and they sell tried-and-true party staples: pizza and beer. If you’re holding a going-away party, there’s a lovely view of the sunset for your friends to watch as they reflect on whomever’s leaving.

COLE VILLENA

BEST DAY-TO-NIGHT TAPROOM LIVING WATERS

One of the great losses in recent Nashville history was J&J’s Market and Cafe, the longtime Midtown coffee shop/corner store that kept Vandy students caffeinated for decades. One of the singular joys of that spot was switching from coffee to a frosty beer after you couldn’t take studying anymore. Living Waters recaptures that feeling, offering a carefully considered coffee program that pairs nicely with their lineup of stouts and IPAs. LANCE

CONZETT

BEST OG CRAFT BEER EMPORIUM 12 SOUTH TAPROOM

Before 12 South Taproom & Grill opened in 2006, most Nashvillians had never tried a craft beer. That made sense, because Music City had been a Bud/Miller/Coors town for decades, and bar managers were quite happy to fill their taps with products from breweries that had been consistently giving them sports and concert tickets. 12 South changed everything with a wide selection of craft beers from across the country, offering the first opportunity for many future beer snobs to discover the hoppiness of Sierra Nevada or the fruity goodness of a Belgian ale. They’re also big supporters of local breweries, and we’re all better off because they’re here.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST BAR FOR BABIES (AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEM) BRINGLE’S SMOKING OASIS

I truly don’t know what parents on the West Side did before Bringle’s Smoking Oasis opened. The outdoor area is effectively a giant playpen where you can watch sports, pet dogs, eat brisket, smear mac-and-cheese on tables, meet new parent friends and, of course, do it all with a cocktail in hand. Now you can enjoy pop-ups on Snack Shack Saturdayzzz from folks like Red Perch and East Side Banh Mi, but whatever you do, don’t skip the Oasis’ jalapeño-cheddar sausage — which should probably have its own Best of Nashville moniker as the Tastiest Thing to Eat While Chasing Your Baby at Bringle’s.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST PLACE TO TAKE A FRIEND WHO WANTS TO GO TO BROADWAY ASSEMBLY FOOD HALL

Being a Nashvillian means playing tour guide for loved ones who come to visit, and most of them will want to check out Broadway. I always take people to Assembly Food Hall at Fifth + Broadway to observe the craziness from afar. The idea of building real retail and dining options on Lower Broad made a ton of sense, and I’ve been impressed that the overwhelming majority of the spots there are local. It’s handy to go somewhere everyone can find something they want to eat, and as a bonus, there’s usually a band playing acoustic covers at you.

COLE VILLENA

ally inspired fare and sip on a craft cocktail or glass of wine from the list curated by an honestto-God master sommelier, and you can feel like you’re above it all.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST BROADWAY BAR THAT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE BROADWAY PUSHING DAISIES

Traveling down Lower Broad (if you’re someone who does that), it would be easy to miss the sign for Pushing Daisies — the new underground margarita bar from Fox Restaurant Concepts. The hidden-away spot is a huge highlight and has so much to brag about: the carefully crafted cocktails, the hushed ambience, and the attentive service all come together to melt away the realization that you are, unbelievably, still downtown.

ML MEADORS

BEST ROOFTOP BAR DESIGN HARRIET’S ROOFTOP

Located on the 19th floor of 1 Hotel, Harriet’s Rooftop offers more than the tired tagline “sweeping views of the Nashville skyline.” The design of Harriet’s Rooftop brings the outside in, invoking an instant sense of calm in the vibrant space. It’s full of greenery, reflective of the overall aesthetic of the hotel, with charredwood accents and seating areas surrounding the bars that allow intimacy in the expansive space. The outside bar boasts fire pits — for extra chilly nights —with soft seating in a neutral palette. And the view is pretty great too.

JANET KURTZ

night of wine and cheese handpicked for you by the experts. ML MEADORS

BEST TONGUE-IN-CHEEK TIKI HUBBA HUBBA TIKI TONK

When longtime hipster haunt The Crying Wolf closed last year, I never would have guessed that something as profoundly silly as Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk would rise from its ashes. Inspired by canonical tiki joints like Trader Vic’s and the cozy chaos of Seattle rock ’n’ roll watering hole Screwdriver Bar, Hubba Hubba explodes with joyful kitsch and a resolute refusal to take itself seriously.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST ARCADE BAR GAME TERMINAL

As the trend of arcade bars continues to grow around the country, Game Terminal has settled into Nashville as one of the most affordable and action-packed options for a night of competition with your significant other or friends. And you don’t have to pack all your quarters for this one! Tucked away in Berry Hill, the 3-year-old arcade offers more than 200 pinball machines, rows of free dual-player games and Trivia Tuesdays. Pinball machines and a few games require a 25-cent token that can be purchased at the entrance. It’s the perfect spot to bring your friends for a low-key birthday celebration.

SERENA ISBELL

BEST FROZEN DRINK SPICY BOY’S PAINKILLERS

BEST PLACE TO LITERALLY

LOOK DOWN ON BACHELORETTES THE TWELVE THIRTY CLUB’S ROOFTOP BAR

Even though Lower Broad often turns into a traffic jam of transpotainment, brawling bros and bevies of bachelorettes, it is occasionally entertaining to go slumming and see how the tourist class lives, especially from a safe distance like that offered from the rooftop bar at The Twelve Thirty Club, perched high above Ground Zero at Fifth + Broadway. Sit under the cover of a sun sail, snack on refined small plates of internation-

BEST PAIRING WOODLAND WINE + GREY’S FINE CHEESE AND ENTERTAINING

Tucked in the back of Sylvan Supply, Woodland Wine’s West Side location and Grey’s Fine Cheese have more in common than just a shared wall. Both boutique retailers offer wide yet curated collections of their specialties, as well as knowledgeable staff, options for all price points and plenty of accoutrements to elevate any evening. The best (and obvious) approach is to stop in at each and allow yourself the most mostest

Painkillers outside the British Virgin Islands are usually sickly sweet, but put them in the hands of Cajuns? They’ll make those suckers strong, lightly sweet, and did I mention strong? For the unfamiliar, painkillers are made of rum, pineapple, orange, nutmeg and an ingredient that can make any drink fat and fabulous: cream of coconut. This simple syrup is made with coconut milk instead of water, has 50 calories per tablespoon, and is worth every damn one of those calories for the creamy depth it delivers. A Spicy Boy’s painkiller on their French Quarter-style patio with hot crawfish? Nola can’t do it any better.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST OG CRAFT BEER EMPORIUM, WRITERS’ CHOICE: 12 SOUTH TAPROOM

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO COUTESY OF PUSHING DAISIES

BEST BROADWAY BAR THAT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE BROADWAY, WRITERS’ CHOICE: PUSHING DAISIES

BEST PLACE TO RE-CREATE NIC CAGE’S SPENDING SPREE IN LEAVING LAS VEGAS TOTAL WINE & MORE

Smaller local liquor stores expressed trepidation at the announcement that national wine, beer and spirits store Total Wine & More had plans to open its second Tennessee location in Brentwood. It turns out that they had reason to be concerned. It’s like a Costco of booze, with a massive inventory and rock-bottom prices. A half-gallon of gin should not cost less than a six-pack of mineral water, but here we are. Just remember to continue to patronize your small local shop when you can, because they are part of the fabric of the neighborhood.

six months, the nonalcoholic bottle shop has hosted trivia nights, book clubs, author talks, dating events and other fun parties, undeniably proving her point. The small but sparkly shop is lined with shelves of alcohol-free spirits, wines and beers. Because the beverages are NA, it is legal to sample away, so you can see if the alcohol-removed sparkling rosé cava is your thing before you take home a bottle.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST NONALCOHOLIC DRINK MAYPOP HOP WATER

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST PROOF THAT ZERO-PROOF ISN’T BORING KILLJOY

Stephanie Styll started Killjoy with her husband Elisha Caldwell and her brother-in-law John Caldwell to prove that you can still be the life of the party without drinking alcohol. In its first

So many people are raving about Maypop’s new Hop Water. I am one of those people. Made at Barrique Brewing and Blending with Citra hops from the Yakima Valley, the libation is a tart, carbonated, tea-like beverage that’s as refreshing as it is tasty. While it is a great replacement for alcohol, don’t mistake it for a nonalcoholic beer — that’s not the intention behind the beverage. Consider it an opportunity to reestablish your relationship with hops.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST CAFE THE CAFÉ AT THISTLE FARMS

If you know Thistle Farms, you know its mission: The social enterprise heals, empowers and employs women survivors of trafficking, prostitution and addiction. What you may not know is that the organization’s cafe is the best in Nashville. Cozy, light and bright, The Café at Thistle Farms delivers great food (heirloom tomato BLT, farmhouse breakfast bowl, all the cakes) and good vibes. Just look at the teacup chandelier, which represents Thistle Farms’ goal of serving from a deep place of love and intention, and your day will brighten. It’s the rare place where you’ll be rejuvenated by good food and good people in equal measure.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST MICRO CAFE MATRYOSHKA COFFEE

This sugary sanctuary was created to please your inner child — or a broke college student’s stomach. Located in the front third of a 960-foot unit near Wedgewood-Houston, Matryoshka Coffee is the only cafe in the city serving Lucky

BEST BARISTA MARK LEMLEY AT CREMA

JAYME FOLTZ

Charms and instant ramen and sprinkling edible glitter confetti on almost everything. The teensy tiny hangout embodies all things sweet, and it has become more than a coffee shop: It’s an all-inclusive safe space with playful drinks, quirky baristas and colorful character.

About four years back, Rachel and Ben Lehman expanded their excellent, zero-waste coffee operation Crema to the East Side with a takeaway cafe and roasting space on Duke Street. It’s a true gift for folks in that particular pocket of East Nashville, in part because Crema has just about the friendliest and most attentive staff of any coffeehouse in town — particularly when it comes to general manager Mark Lemley. Lemley, who also happens to be a gifted writer and podcaster, is a longtime barista who knows his coffee, and is beloved by neighborhood regulars. He provides consistently great service and friendly conversation, but beyond that, it’s plain to see that Lemley is the

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST PROOF THAT ZEROPROOF ISN’T BORING , WRITERS’ CHOICE: KILLJOY

BEST NONALCOHOLIC DRINK, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MAYPOP HOP WATER

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

BEST MICRO CAFE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MATRYOSHKA COFFEE

FOOD & DRINK WRITERS’ CHOICE

kind of guy who genuinely cares about people. Refreshing.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST TEA HIGH GARDEN

High Garden may now be out of sight, but don’t let it be out of mind. The storefront was unfortunately destroyed by Nashville’s deadly March 2020 tornado, but that doesn’t mean the brand was. You can still find High Garden teas at many locations across town, or order them online via highgardentea.com. There’s a wide range of offerings, from unique and adventurous herbal teas to traditional tea blends. If you’re not sure where to start, they offer sampler packs so you can find your favorite, and enjoy the different benefits that each blend brings.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST DOWNTOWN TREAT THE PEANUT SHOP

The Peanut Shop in the Arcade downtown is an absolute blast from the past. In this oldtime candy store and fried peanut emporium, they have a supreme roster of treats. You can get a glass bottle of Coke (or Diet Coke, if you please), some chocolate-covered mixed nuts, popcorn, ice cream and/or some candy. I really enjoy a quick trip through the small shop to find something special for the folks I love.

(Did I mention I love myself?) There’s a little something for everyone.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST FOOD TO GIVE AS A GIFT KERNELS NASHVILLE POPCORN

I’m so glad popcorn tins don’t have the same negative gift-giver association as fruit cake. Nonetheless, there is a big difference between the Dollar Tree popcorn tins you buy as a last-minute gift for your aunt and actually good popping corn. Kernels is the real deal — you can see the staff making it right in front of you at their shop. The service is excellent as well; they always have time (and patience) for my child’s various questions about popcorn. We picked some up for Father’s Day, and it was a huge success.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST TAKEOUT DESTINATION

THE WASH

If dinnertime includes cuisine disagreements, The Wash is your silver bullet. While they’ve definitely got to fully cover the all-outdoor dining area (the high in Nashville is 70-plus degrees seven months of the year!), the food is sound. Peruvian, pho, Cuban, fried chicken — order it all to go and grab a cocktail at Bay 6 to wait. Enjoy your Sweeza quesadilla (with fries!) and SS Gai’s Gai Tod crispy chicken (with addictive tamarind

chili fish sauce) at home in the A.C. Bonus: Their mission is great — to give chefs and owners who can’t or don’t want to invest heavily in a restaurant a permanent, conventional space to cook.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST SILVER LINING BILL’S SANDWICH PALACE

When beloved East Nashville bakery Sweet 16th closed a year ago, the neighborhood wept. Fortunately for everyone, owner Ellen Einstein had a plan. She worked with Christen Clemins and Aaron Clemins to take over the space with their Bill’s Sandwich Palace, which for several years had operated as a highly regarded pop-up inside Inglewood’s TKO. Though you can no longer get “one to go” from Sweet 16th, at least you can sample the mind-bending offerings from Bill’s in a more permanent environment.

STEPHEN ELLIOTT

BEST EXPANSION HEARTS IN 12SOUTH

Since opening in 2020, Hearts has quickly become an East Nashville staple with its take on

Australian cafe food and great coffee. Although the newer 12South outpost can’t compete with the intense coziness of the original, it more than makes up for it by keeping longer hours and introducing a knockout dinner menu. Get there before the bachelorette parties discover they can knock back an Aperol spritz or two before shopping at Draper James.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST RESTAURATEUR IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY AUSTIN RAY

Restaurateur Austin Ray has experienced more than his share of difficulties. Multiple floods filled his Melrose Billiard Parlor with water and mud, and washed out his upscale cocktail bar, Rambler. While the pool hall was quickly returned to its former state of pleasant shabbiness, Ray had to back away from Rambler and another of his spots, The Sutler. Doubling down on his commitment to featuring local ingredients like Porter Road Butcher beef in his burgers at M.L. Rose, a curated craft beer selection at Von Elrod’s and M.L., and the

BEST DOWNTOWN TREAT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: THE PEANUT SHOP

BEST TEA, WRITERS’ CHOICE: HIGH GARDEN

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

PHOTO: CHRISTEN CLEMINS

BEST SILVER LINING, WRITERS’ CHOICE: BILL’S SANDWICH PALACE

pens to you frequently, add Spread Market & Larder to your shopping rotation. The Germantown specialty market is all about inspiration. There’s a tight selection of interesting wines as well as specialty items like tinned fish, exotic spices and condiments, sourdough loaves from the oven of chef Chad Kelly and a stocked refrigerated case of charcuterie, cheeses, marinated olives and other accoutrements. Plus the staff will gladly help you put together a fantastic menu for an easy meal in minutes.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST PERMA-POP-UP MAIZ DE LA VIDA AT CHOPPER

started with thousands of lights, classic Christmas movies projected on a screen, a snowy toy train and a few cocktails. But every year, the team at Nicky’s Coal Fired ups the ante, most recently covering the walls in “tacky” (but actually kind of fabulous) holiday sweaters sourced from Goodwills in the greater Chicago area. Add frozen eggnog, their usual delicious food and an incessant loop of crappy Hallmark movies? There’s no spot more seasonal. And here’s an early Christmas present: Show up at 4 p.m. and you can beat the lines.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST SEASONAL MENUS BUTCHER & BEE

concept of a welcoming “third place” at all his spots, Ray continues to be an important asset to any neighborhood he moves into. CHRIS

CHAMBERLAIN

WEST RICHLAND PARK FARMERS MARKET

BEST FARMERS MARKET:

A good farmers market will offer an even balance of farm stands, prepared foods and locally made pantry essentials. Too many farm stands and you’re locked in analysis paralysis over which bunch of kale to buy; too many crafts and you’re annoyed at not being able to bring home something to cook for dinner. The sprawling Richland Park Farmers Market in West Nashville has a little something for everybody, from locally grown produce and meats to prepared foods and a Jamaican patty that’ll knock you sideways. LANCE CONZETT

vegetables and herbs (either on the shelves or in a cooler), and then pay what you can via Venmo. (If you can’t afford to pay anything, that’s OK too.) You never know what you’re going to get, but you know it will be good and hyper-local.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST ANTI-FOOD-WASTE OPTION TIFF’S TREATS

You know that feeling when, after years of hoping it will happen, two people you really like finally hook up? That Hallmark movie plot has manifested itself into existence with the pairing of Chopper and the Maiz de la Vida food truck. Sidling up to Chopper’s bar to enjoy a classic or novel rum tiki drink while digging into chef Julio Hernandez’s spectacular empanadas, tacos and quesabirria, made using tortillas featuring heritage corn that Hernandez milled by hand into masa? It’s better than the quick kiss at the end of two hours of Hallmark. How good is Hernandez? James Beard-nominated good!

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST WINE POP-UP LAS JARAS TAKES OVER DINO’S

Chefs love to say they cook seasonally. In reality? It’s a designation restaurants give themselves, often in error. But Butcher & Bee deserves it. In early summer, you’ll get peaches with buffalo-milk burrata, or snap peas and pickled beets sitting on strawberry labneh. By August, you’re in tomato territory — shaved raw, in cocktails, and in partnerships with legends like Duke’s Mayo. In December, you’ll get Hanukkah-inspired brisket pot pie and the Harvest cocktail (tequila, cardamaro, black currant liqueur, ginger). No matter the month, no one takes seasonality more seriously than B&B.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST FARMERS MARKET:

EAST AMQUI STATION FARMERS MARKET

Over in Madison, the Amqui Station Farmers Market cuts a cooler, crunchier vibe than our West Side farmers market winners at Richland Park. Housed at a Madison community center built from a train depot formerly owned by Johnny Cash, Amqui Station is overflowing with good vibes. Start your shop with yoga on the pavilion before taking in rows of small-batch coffee, community-made crafts and locally grown produce from Bells Bend. Stick around for live music, sometimes featuring bands like Sin Verguenza, a twist on mariachi featuring local ringers like Matt Glassmeyer and Robbie Hunsinger. LANCE CONZETT

BEST HONOR SYSTEM  COOPER CREEK FARM’S UNATTENDED FARMSTAND

Like many musicians, Alex Bice did a career pivot when the pandemic quashed his touring schedule. Bice started digging in the dirt, and by 2021 he turned his hobby of gardening into Cooper Creek Farm, a commercial biodiverse operation, growing food without tilling and without chemicals. The Inglewood farmer’s bounty is available through a CSA program, and its unattended farmstand at 1209 McAlpine Ave. is a joy. Stop by and pick out flowers, seasonal

In other cities, swiping through the Too Good to Go app is as prevalent as (and more satisfying than) Tinder/Bumble/Hinge. The idea is simple: Restaurants and grocery stores post food that’s close to expiring at a discounted price. In Nashville, so far, warm-cookie baker Tiff’s Treats is the only company offering food on Too Good to Go, as an effort to sell bags of cookies at the end of the day at a hefty discount. The app helps reduce the bakery’s food waste, says Jake Veyhl, Tiff’s director of operations. In other cities where Tiff’s operates, the cookies fly off the Too Good to Go app; here’s hoping other Nashville restaurants log in soon.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST WAY TO AVOID MESSING UP YOUR KITCHEN FOR DINNER SPREAD MARKET & LARDER

We’ve all been there — staring into the fridge, utterly uninspired to make dinner. If this hap-

Nobody goes to Dino’s for a glass of wine, which made it the perfect spot for Las Jaras to kick off their Honky Tonk Tour in May. From behind the bar at Dolly’s Lemonade Stand, winemakers Joel Burt and Eric Wareheim (yes, of Tim and Eric fame) slung sips from their eclectic array of natural wines: from flagship pizza wine Glou Glou to “nighttime rosé” Superbloom to the self-explanatory Dr. Steve Brule’s Sweet Berry Wine. It was a night that proved wine tastings don’t need to be snooty affairs. For your health!

LANCE CONZETT

BEST CHRISTMAS POP-UP ST. NICKY’S AT NICKY’S COAL FIRED

Every year, St. Nicky’s gets a little jollier. It

BEST UNIQUE BAR ENTERTAINMENT OLD GLORY’S HOUSE OF WOW

Few performers in the city combine daring and elegance like the aerialists and fire-eaters of Old Glory’s House of WOW. The second Saturday of each month, members of Suspended Gravity Circus troupe climb to the rafters to perform graceful twists and gasp-inducing drops, while fire-eaters from Pyroglyphics Collective dazzle with their flaming choreography. It’s an alluring, mystique-filled spectacle — and a far cry from this city’s default of classic-rock covers by absurdly talented cover bands.

COLE VILLENA

BEST CIVILIZED WAY TO SEE A SHOW CITY WINERY

Unlike the notorious “Exit/In Standard Time,” in which the headliner doesn’t even get off the bus until 11 p.m. despite a 9 p.m. show time, at City Winery, 8 p.m. means the downbeat hits at 7:59. You can arrive two hours early and enjoy a preshow meal or show up five minutes before the first note and still go straight to your seat like a dignified human being. Somehow, standing up for two hours before a show to claim some floor space just doesn’t have the same charm it once did.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST SECRET WEAPON IN RESTAURANT KITCHENS PROPER SAKÉ CO.’S KOJI

As part of the sake-making process at his Proper Saké Co., Byron Stithem propagates a specific Japanese mold called koji to inoculate the rice that he ferments to create his delicious spirits. Chefs in the know are aware that koji is a lot more versatile than simply an ingredient in brewing. Stithem grows extra koji in his East

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST WAY TO AVOID MESSING UP YOUR KITCHEN FOR DINNER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: SPREAD MARKET & LARDER

BEST PERMA-POP-UP , WRITERS’ CHOICE: MAIZ DE LA VIDA AT CHOPPER

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

Nashville brewery specifically for inventive and ingenious chefs at some of your favorite restaurants, including Butcher & Bee and Rolf and Daughters. These kitchens recognize that koji makes almost anything taste basically like the most delicious version of itself. You didn’t know that you had Stithem to thank!

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST FOOD-SERVING ROBOT 615CHUTNEY

Go ahead and laugh, but one of my favorite people in Nashville is a robot. (IYKYK.) When my husband and I eat at 615Chutney, which I’ll admit is very often, Niroop seats us in one of the half-booth-half-tables because those are the tables Singam the robot delivers food to. And I must have my food delivered by Singam, the food-serving robot. Sure, people are fine. I even like some of them. But a robot with electronic cat ears who meows as it rolls by, equipped with a torso of shelves full of curries and rice? That is the experience I crave.

KIM BALDWIN

BEST TREND FOR SAKE LOVERS GREAT FOOD AT RICE VICE AND PRESENT TENSE

If your past experience with pairing sake with food involved a hot cup of rice wine alongside some mediocre hibachi fare, you’re in for a big surprise. Rice Vice and Present Tense are creating a new sake scene thanks to amazing spirits crafted in Nashville and imported from Japan

served alongside inventive cuisine. Present Tense in Wedgewood-Houston leans on the culinary talents of longtime restaurant pros Rick Margaritov and Ryan Costanza to create a menu of Asian fusion delights. At Proper Saké Co.’s Rice Vice in East Nashville, Byron Stithem depends on pop-ups by chefs he respects, which in the past have included the teams behind Kisser and Xiao Bao.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST GEN-X-FAMILY DISCOVERY THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS SPERRY’S

If you thought Sperry’s in Belle Meade is only filled with aged country club members ladling green goddess dressing over iceberg lettuce at the salad bar, you need to pay a return visit soon. A new generation of Nashvillians has discovered the joy of a family meal in the pubby steakhouse environs of the Nashville treasure, which will soon celebrate 50 years of operation. The halfprice bottles of wine Sunday through Tuesday also help take the edge off of a family dinner.

CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

BEST REASON TO GO TO OLD HICKORY FLAT TIRE DINER

Every time I’ve gone to Flat Tire Diner, it’s been jam-packed — a sign that the bites are going to be damn good. Despite how hustle-and-bustle Flat Tire is, the staff there always seems to manage things nicely.

They turn empty tables over quickly, and once you sit down, you forget you had to wait at all. They make their own bread for sandwiches and burgers, and for their crunchy French toast, which is dipped in egg, battered with a corn-flake mixture and covered in fresh fruit. (Also: Don’t sleep on the cinnamon roll.)

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST FRANKLIN RESTAURANT CULACCINO

If you’ve ever been to Naples, Fla., Culaccino makes sense. Oddly but appropriately, Naples specializes in Italian food, and so does Culaccino chef and owner Frank Pullara, who hails from the South Florida city. Anchored by an airy patio and a modern yet cozy space, Culaccino serves housemade pastas and wood-fired pizzas alongside family recipes. It’s not surprising that cocktails like the Beauty Queen (tequila, rosemary, ginger, lime, lavender, lambrusco) deliver — culaccino is the Italian word for the lasting impression a cold glass leaves on a wooden table. What a word. What a place.

Perfezione ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST REASON TO GO TO MURFREESBORO AL-RAYAN

When we get takeout from Al-Rayan, it’s a bit of an event. We order most of the menu. That’s in part to make the long hike to Murfreesboro worthwhile, but also because the menu is just that good. Owner Hamad Abdelrahman, who emigrated to the U.S. from Palestine, makes everything from scratch. The warm, billowy pitas

come with pockets big enough to nap in. Order them stuffed with savory minced lamb, or drag them through a creamy mound of hummus streaked with real-deal olive oil — the stuff that scratches at the back of your throat before the lemony, nutty goodness provides some relief. My personal favorite is the kibbeh, cracked bulgur wheat dough stuffed with a stew of pine nuts and minced beef, then fried golden and crispy. As if the menu weren’t enough, Al-Rayan also features a Middle Eastern bakery and a small grocery well-stocked with Levant staples.

RADLEY BALKO

BEST REASON TO GO TO COLUMBIA SAVARINO’S BAKERY

Unlike two decades ago when Corrado Savarino first opened his authentic Italian bakery in the Walmart shopping center on Nolensville Road, you won’t be run out of Savarino’s Bakery in Columbia for confusing biscotti and biscuits. Eldest son Carmelo learned everything he knows about bread, biscotti, cannoli, sfogliatelle, cookies, tiramisu and bomboloni from his dad at Savarino’s Cucina on Belcourt Avenue, and pasta and sauces from mama Marie. When the Belcourt spot closed in 2017, Carmelo focused on a small building they purchased and renovated in Columbia, and in 2019 launched wholesale operations from Savarino’s Bakery, now open for retail Friday and Saturday.

KAY WEST

ThankYou Nashville!

For over 26 years, we’ve been honored to serve the Greater Nashville area. Our commitment to top-notch cuisine & service are driven by your loyalty & support. You are why we do what we do. Thank you for placing your trust in us!

L&L Market | 3820 Charlotte Avenue 615-942-5583 | daphnehome.com

1. Hustler Hollywood

2. Lovebound

3. Pleasures

BEST

1.

BEST BANK

1. Pinnacle Financial Partners

2. Bank of America

3. First Horizon

BEST BARBER SHOP

1. Scout’s Barbershop

2. Culture Nashville

3.

3. Uncle Classic Barbershop

BEST ATTORNEY

1. Rocky McElhaney Law Firm

2. Ponce Law

3. Daniel A. Horwitz

BEST AUTO DEALER

1. Two Rivers Ford

2. BMW of Nashville

3. Wyatt Johnson Ford

BEST AUTO MECHANIC

1. Kwik Kar Lube & Tune

2. EuroFix

3. Bennett’s Automotive

BEST BICYCLE SHOP

1. Halcyon Bike Shop

2. Shelby Ave. Bicycle Co.

3. Cumberland Transit

BEST BOOKSTORE (LOCAL)

1. Parnassus Books

2. McKay’s

3. Novelette Booksellers

BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL

1. The Union Station

2. Graduate Nashville

3. Bobby Hotel

BEST

BEST BRIDAL BOUTIQUE

1. Adorn Nashville

2. Olia Zavozina

3. LUXE Bridal

BEST CAR WASH/AUTO DETAILER

1. White Bridge Auto Wash

2. Camel Express Car Wash

3. MILES Auto Spa

BEST CBD RETAILER

1. LabCanna East

2. Consider It Flowers

3. Perfect Plant Hemp Co.

BEST CLOTHING CONSIGNMENT

1. Buffalo Exchange

2. Plato’s Closet

3. Anaconda Vintage (tie)

3. Kid to Kid (tie)

BEST CO-WORKING SPACE

1. Collective615

2. Center 615

3. WeWork

BEST DRY CLEANER

1. Oakwood Cleaners

2. Village Cleaners

3. Heritage Cleaners — Green Hills

BEST EVENT PLANNER

1. Bruce Pittman

2. Penny Haas

3. The Busy Bride

BEST FASHION DESIGNER

1. Emily Phillips

2. Native in Nashville by Amber Ford

3. Sarah Jameson, Rudy Lou

BEST FLORIST

1. Rose Hill Flowers

2. FLWR Shop

3. The Bloom House

BEST GIFT SHOP

1. Serendipity

2. Gift Horse

3. The Golden Slipper

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE, READERS’ POLL: ADORN NASHVILLE

BEST FLORIST, READERS’ POLL: ROSE HILL FLOWERS

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: JESSICA AMERSON

BEST GROCERY STORE

1. Publix

2. The Turnip Truck

3. Trader Joe’s

BEST HOTEL

1. Grand Hyatt Nashville

2. The Hermitage Hotel

3. W Nashville

BEST INN/BED AND BREAKFAST

1. Urban Cowboy

2. 12 South Carriage House

3. Hilton Nashville Downtown

BEST INSURANCE COMPANY (LOCAL)

1. Johnson Family Insurance

2. Lockeland Insurance Advisors

3. Farm Bureau

BEST JEWELRY STORE

1. Genesis Diamonds

2. Thomas Jewelers

3. Consider the Wldflwrs

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE

1. Levy’s

2. Hive & Colony

3. FORTS

BEST MOBILE BUSINESS (NON FOOD TRUCK)

1. Consider It Flowers

2. Hip Hues

3. Gabby the Groomer

BEST NEW BUSINESS

1. Grown Proper

2. The Truck Stop

3. SHEchiatry

BEST NONPROFIT

1. Nashville Humane Association

2. Love One International

3. Tennessee Justice Center

BEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE STORE

1. REI

2. Cumberland Transit

3. Bass Pro Shops

BEST PLACE TO BUY AN ENGAGEMENT RING

1. Genesis Diamonds

2. Consider the Wldflwrs

3. Shane Co.

BEST PLACE TO BUY COMIC BOOKS

1. Rick’s Comic City

2. McKay’s

3. The Great Escape

BEST PLACE TO BUY EYEWEAR

1. Optique

2. Loden Vision Centers

3. Costco Wholesale

BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1. Guitar Center

2. Corner Music

3. Fanny’s House of Music

BEST PLACE TO BUY USED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1. Fanny’s House of Music

2. Carter Vintage Guitars

3. McKay’s

BEST PLACE TO BUY VINYL

1. Vinyl Tap

2. Grimey’s New & Preloved Music

3. The Groove

BEST PLACE TO BUY/SELL MUSIC

1. Grimey’s New & Preloved Music

2. McKay’s

3. The Groove

BEST PLACE TO WORK

1. Loden Vision Centers

2. Wagon Wheel Title

3. Tractor Supply Co.

BEST PRINTING COMPANY

1. Hatch Show Print

2. Midtown Printing

3. Friendly Arctic Printing & Design

BEST SHOPPING CENTER

1. Hill Center Green Hills

2. L&L Market

3. Nashville West

BEST SHOPPING MALL

1. The Mall at Green Hills

2. CoolSprings Galleria

3. Opry Mills

BEST SMOKE/VAPE SHOP

1. Consider It Flowers

2. Marley’s Smokeshop

3. Grown Proper

BEST TATTOO STUDIO

1. Black 13 Tattoo

2. Fine Line Cosmetics & Tattoo

3. Icon Tattoo & Body Piercing

BEST TOURIST TOUR

1. Gray Line Tennessee

2. NashTrash Tours

3. Walk Eat Nashville

BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE

1. Anaconda Vintage

2. Ugly Duck Vintage

3. Music City Vintage

BEST WEDDING VENUE

1. Cheekwood

2. The Cordelle

3. Mint Springs Farm

BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE

1. Vinnie Louise

2. ABEDNEGO

3. This is the Finale

BEST PLACE TO BUY/SELL MUSIC, READERS’ POLL: GRIMEY’S NEW & PRELOVED MUSIC

BEST NICHE SHOP THE GREEN RAY

The city’s coolest art book store is now the city’s coolest incense, sock, body oil, specialty food and art book store. That’s right, The Green Ray has expanded. The new location on Gallatin Pike near the overpass by the Inglewood Kroger is roomier, and features an outdoor area that’s perfect for occasional events, like screenings of French New Wave films and ’90s River Phoenix vehicles. Plus, as always, Green Ray’s Rebecca Moon Cullum carries the best curation of art books in the area, from TBW to Twin Palms to Mast.

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BEST GIFTS MADE IN TN

We all have someone in our life who is particularly difficult to buy gifts for. They either have everything they want or a way-too-expensive wish list. But maybe that person also has a sweet tooth, or lives far away and misses Tennessee.

The Made in TN shop exclusively features — you guessed it — products that are made in state. From candies and snacks to candles and crafts, the curated selection can add a meaningful message to otherwise simple gifts. With several

brick-and-mortar shops and an online store, Made in TN makes it easy to find something that’s just right.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST NASHVILLE SWAG MUSIC VALLEY ARCHIVE

There are a lot of companies pushing Nashville-centric designs, but Music Valley Archive is the only one that gets it just right. Retro without being dorky and silly without being corny, MVA has the best T-shirts and bumper stickers in the biz. Example: the Briley Motor Speedway shirt that, from a distance, looks like a well-worn NASCAR shirt you stole from your redneck uncle in the ’90s, but upon closer inspection is actually a fairly nuanced (for a graphic tee) depiction of New Nashville woes.

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BEST PLACE TO MEANDER WHILE SHOPPING SHOPPES ON FATHERLAND

Shopping is about the journey, not the destination. The collection of businesses at East Nashville’s Shoppes on Fatherland is the perfect place to putz around while feeling good about supporting local business owners. Grab a tea at International Tea & Coffee, a bite at The Wild Cow and an enviable souvenir at Tenn Gallon Hat or Perfect TN. Gift Horse is a favorite for beautiful

BEST GIFTS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MADE IN TN

BEST NASHVILLE SWAG, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MUSIC VALLEY ARCHIVE

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: DIANA LEE ZADLO

papers and other gifts, and Local Pantry by In Good Company is full of cool beverages, sauces and spices. Meander to your heart’s content.

HANNAH HERNER

BEST NOSTALGIC TOYS TOTALLY RAD TOYHOUSE

Totally Rad Toyhouse is sure to elicit an “I remember that!” from every visitor — from G.I. Joe to Barbie to Marvel, there’s something for everyone. Collectors can buy, sell and trade, or hunt for rare finds. And for the layperson, there’s something to heal the inner child, and a giant bin where actual children can dig for new-tothem treasures. Now in a new location on Charlotte Pike, Totally Rad makes for a good mix of mainstream and niche finds with a guaranteed hit of dopamine. Beanie Babies need not apply.

HANNAH HERNER

BEST NEW RECORD STORE SOULFOLKS RECORDS AND TAPES

Nashville has an array of great record stores, but we haven’t had one that embraces hip-hop in the same way as New Life Record Shop since it closed a few years back. Enter stellar rapper R.A.P. Ferreira, who settled in Nashville in 2019 and brought with him the idea for a hip-hop-

centric community center focused on a record store. Based on a spot Ferreira ran when he lived in Biddeford, Maine, the new Madison iteration of Soulfolks Records and Tapes offers hard-to-find records with an emphasis on indie artists — and it’s hosted much-needed community-building shows like July’s Beat Invitational.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST NEW VIDEO STORE

DANGER ZONE VIDEO

Physical media means something special to most folks over the age of 18 these days: a tangible connection to pivotal interactions with films or music, a special kind of bond that just doesn’t form when you fall in love with something streaming. Brittany Fernandez and Jesse Butler’s Danger Zone Video in Mt. Juliet specializes in movies on VHS, the analog home-video format that dominated living rooms in the 1980s and practically disappeared when DVDs swiftly took over in the late 1990s. Their dedication to good quality and thoughtful curation — not to mention the collectability of rare titles and increasing nostalgia for VHS — has helped their business grow, and in September they moved to a new location three times the original’s size.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST PLACE TO MEANDER WHILE SHOPPING, WRITERS’ CHOICE: SHOPPES ON FATHERLAND

NEW VIDEO STORE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: DANGER ZONE VIDEO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST SALE PADDYWAX FACTORY SALE

I hesitate to tell anyone else about this incredible sale. It is already packed, but the lines are so worth it. Tucked away off of Nolensville Road is Paddywax’s warehouse, where every fall they sell all of their defective and overstock goods for a few precious days. We’re talking candles (with reusable vessels!) for a few dollars, plus calendars, notebooks, fragrances — all at a deep discount. It is a Christmas-present gold mine, both for yourself or others. Follow their Instagram account (@paddywaxcandles) for dates, but save some candles for me!

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST WEIRD GREETING CARDS EYEDOT CREATIVE

Lindsey Turner at Eyedot Creative describes her aesthetic as “bleak, but fun.” That is extremely accurate. Eyedot Creative sells all kinds of items: mugs, stickers, buttons — and, of course, greeting cards. There are plenty of good ones to choose from, but the one at the top of my list says: “We are all God’s children — and he left us in a hot car.” Another one depicts words in a spiral through space apologizing for not replying to texts while “the trees burn and the oceans boil and the rich clink their Champagne glasses while the rest of us fight like crabs to get out of a bucket.” See? Bleak, but fun!

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST ADULT STORE

PRIMROSE PATH BOUTIQUE

With the recent legislative decisions negatively affecting women’s health and every form of sexuality — including the formerly semi-safe straight and married kind — it’s more important than ever to destroy stigmas around the topics of sex and sexuality. Primrose Path Boutique owner Tessa Lowe knows this, and it’s the mission of her sex-positive adult toy store. Visit

primrosepathboutique.com to order from the variety of product lines she carries — from Je Joue to nJoy — or plan to host your own event with her help. Send details to all the bachelorettes you see downtown, and maybe Nashville can be the start of a sex-positive revolution.

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BEST VINTAGE CURATOR MARIA TORRES, TORRES VINTAGE

Anyone who shops vintage knows how hit-ormiss it can be — you either find the outfit of your dreams or garments so odd you don’t have to guess why they went out of style. Enter the need for carefully curated vintage collections. In Nashville, no one does it better than Maria Torres. Her collection has something for everyone, from dainty nightgowns to menswear-inspired work ’fits. Torres Vintage is proudly Latina- and LGBTQowned, and can be found on Etsy and in store at Anaconda Vintage. After recently becoming a U.S. citizen, Torres is now raising funds to open her own storefront on Gallatin Pike. HANNAH CRON

BEST VINTAGE COLLECTION KITTY REPUBLIC AT STARLAND VINTAGE

The only thing better than shopping vintage is doing so for a cause — and in this case, the cause is cats. The Kitty Republic collection at Starland Vintage includes vintage deadstock and old-lady-loved garments featuring all types of felines. Proceeds from any cat-adorned merchandise goes to the care and feeding of feral cats and community-cared colonies around Nashville. If you want your outfit to be the talk of the town at next week’s bingo game and help feed cats in need, Kitty Republic at Starland has you covered — cat hair free of charge. HANNAH CRON

BEST WEIRD GREETING CARDS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: EYEDOT CREATIVE

JOHN BOY BAKER VINTAGE

The categories for places I like to spend money are: Owner is super nice and/or funny; products are special and fun; price is fair. John Baker ticks all those boxes. I gladly hand over cash for his hand-picked wares because I know the money is going to someone who finds as much delight in the items I’m buying as I do. His Instagram account @johnboybakervintage is a good place to start shopping. Come for the booby mugs, stay for the … jokes about booby mugs.

AMANDA HAGGARD

A good pair of shoes is an investment worth making. Last year I bought a pair of Nisolo Go-To Flatform Sandals, and I haven’t regretted it once. I’ve walked countless miles with ease and comfort in those shoes. They’re also the most versatile pair I own — they look great with anything. Nisolo’s classic yet chic, well-designed collection has myriad options for everyone, from boots to sandals, loafers and huaraches.The brand also emphasizes sustainability and fair wages for its workers, so you can feel good about your purchase in all the ways.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST ETHICALLY SOURCED SHOP ABLE

With an unassuming retail shop in The Nations

tomers. Check out the 360 Club, which functions like a farm CSA, allowing you to pay upfront for discounted clothes for the next three years.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST SMALL BUSINESS EXPANSION UNDERS ADULT LINE

One of the worst things in the world is having ill-fitting underwear. That’s something Unders had in mind when the owner created a gender-inclusive line of underwear for kids with soft fabrics and cool patterns. But hey, turns out adults also want underpants that are not annoying, so Unders made a small line for big folks. The underpants are handsewn, and the business works with local artists on the lovely prints as well. The options are cute, and the work is done close to home.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST EYEWEAR UNDER $15 STARLAND VINTAGE

Nashville has a history of taking away some locals’ favorite things. Your favorite bar? Demolished. Your coffee? Now it’s $7. Your rent? That’ll be $1 million for a half-bed, half-bath. But thankfully, some things remain. Case in point: Starland Vintage (previously Pre to Post Modern) still offers the best affordable eyewear in the damn city. There’s plenty to see in the store, which is stocked floor-to-ceiling with clothing, furniture and accessories, but the racks of $14 sunglasses in the front room are a must-see every single time. There’s a color, shape and style to match any lifestyle or aesthetic — and the price is just

Opened

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

THANKS FOR YOUR V OTE

assortment of seasonal flowers. With flowers by the stem as well as a variety of bouquet sizes, Ostara offers delivery, subscriptions and a small assortment of gifts including books, candles and soaps. Best of all, the shop’s horticulture experts are there to provide guidance on building your own bouquets. Kind folks who’ll help you create a perfect, thoughtful gift.

AMANDA MATSUI

BEST LOCAL JEWELER ALIZAH GREENBERG JEWELRY

Does that ring from your ex give you bad vibes every time you see it in your drawer? Or perhaps the necklace from your grandmother just isn’t your style. Either way, Alizah Greenberg can fix it. From her Belle Meade studio, Greenberg designs striking, modern jewelry that doesn’t look like pieces anyone else has — in part because she never makes the same piece twice. She’ll melt gold from an old ring and repurpose stones from your heirlooms, reducing waste, limiting the need to buy new gems and connecting you to your past — as little or as much as you like.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST CUSTOM STITCHING RANGERSTITCH

Chain stitching is a striking, unique form of sewing and embroidery that — though it dates back centuries and can be found all over the world — has a special connection to Music City. Think about the custom suits designed by Nudie Cohn and worn by country stars from Gram Parsons to Porter Wagoner, all of them featuring loud, iconic chain stitching. The team at RangerStitch’s shop on Buchanan Street in North Nashville keeps this tradition alive and gives it modern flair, stitching hats, patches, bandanas and a whole lot more. Their bread-and-butter is custom jobs, and I can tell you from experience that, for instance, a onesie outfitted with chain-stitched initials and a cute little design makes for a delightful baby-shower gift. RangerStitch does lots of pop-up events, so keep an eye on rangerstitch.com for details on where to find them.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST BUILD-YOUROWN BOUQUET, WRITERS’ CHOICE: OSTARA GARDENS

BEST CUSTOM STITCHING, WRITERS’ CHOICE: RANGERSTITCH

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

Levy’s is Nashville’s ultimate destinati f l y labels, -site tail ing and tstanding cust s vice

Nashville’s

BEST BLOG (LOCAL)

1. Bates Nursery and Garden Center

2. Deep Dish Conversations

3. The Tennessee Holler

BEST COLUMNIST (LOCAL)

1. Holly McCall

2. David Plazas

3. Bruce Barry

BEST CONSERVATIVE (LOCAL)

1. Ben Shapiro

2. Candace Owens

3. Marsha Blackburn

BEST FACEBOOK PAGE

1. Foodies of Nashville

2. East Nashville Facebook Group

3. Eat Hendersonville

BEST FOOD INSTAGRAM

1. @nashvillehiddengems

2. @diningwithdeliajo

3. @we_eat_nash

BEST INSTAGRAM (LOCAL)

1. @musicshitty

2. @daddysdogsnash

3. @thetnholler

BEST LIBERAL (LOCAL)

1. Justin Jones

2. Freddie O’Connell

3. John Ray Clemmons

BEST METRO COUNCILMEMBER

1. Freddie O’Connell

2. Burkley Allen

3. Zulfat Suara

BEST PODCAST

1. Black Men Vent Too

2. Deep Dish Conversations

3. The Horror Fried Podcast

BEST POLITICIAN (LOCAL)

1. Justin Jones

2. Freddie O’Connell

3. Carol Swain

BEST RADIO PERSONALITY OR DJ

1. Bobby Bones

2. Hayley St. John

3. Free Beer and Hot Wings

BEST RADIO STATION

1. WRLT, Lightning 100

2. WXNA

3. WPLN

BEST REPORTER (LOCAL)

1. Phil Williams

2. Danielle Breezy

3. Bree Smith

BEST SCANDAL OF THE YEAR

1. Bill Lee in Drag

2. The Tennessee Three

3. Cameron Sexton

BEST SPORTS RADIO SHOW OR PODCAST

1. 104.5 The Zone’s 3HL

2. Unofficial Titans Podcast

3. 102.5 The Game’s Robby & Rexrode

BEST SPORTS WRITER

1. Jim Wyatt

2. Maurice Patton

3. Gentry Estes

BEST TIKTOK ACCOUNT (LOCAL)

1. @itsdeezastris

2. @misfitmeteorologist (Bree Smith)

3. @nashvillenews

BEST TV NEWS

PERSONALITY (LOCAL)

1. Danielle Breezy

2. Bree Smith

3. Bob Mueller

BEST TV NEWS STATION (LOCAL)

1. WKRN, News 2

2. W TVF, NewsChannel5

3. WZ TV, Fox 17 News

BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT (LOCAL)

1. @nashseverewx

2. @startleseasily

3. @thetnholler

BEST RADIO PERSONALITY OR DJ, READERS’ POLL: BOBBY BONES

BEST REPORTER (LOCAL), READERS’ POLL: PHIL WILLIAMS

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT, EMERITUS NASHVILLE SEVERE WEATHER

Many of us who have long enjoyed Twitter have been having a harder time with it since a certain bizarre tech billionaire purchased the app and started tinkering with things that didn’t need to be tinkered with. (And I’m sorry, but we will not be earnestly referring to it as “X.”) After putting our heads together, we at the Scene decided to discontinue the “Best Twitter Account” category once and for all, but not before bestowing the honor one last time. The folks behind Nashville Severe Weather — David, Will, Andrew, Luke and their interns — are still going strong at @ NashSeverWx after more than a decade, keeping Nashville informed about severe weather events. From the deadly March 2020 tornado to flash floods, heat waves and lightning storms, the Nashville Severe Weather folks — who are careful to refer to themselves as “tweeteorologists” rather than professional meteorologists — are seemingly perpetually logged on, ready to keep folks in the Nashville area safe and informed. Of course, you can also find Nashville Severe updates via YouTube as well as other social media platforms and at their website (nashvillesevereweather.com). Should twitter.com fully bite the dust or just get too weird and annoying to use, we’ll keep on following Nashville Severe Weather wherever we can find them. Hats off to the Nashville Severe team, and thank you for all that you do.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST WAY TO SKIM THE NEWS AXIOS NASHVILLE

It’s no secret that Nate Rau and Adam Tamburin are great reporters, but their hustle at the Axios newsletter has shown off their speed and flexibility as they round up the city’s top news. The bullet-point approach of Axios is definitely not for everyone, but as social media becomes less useful for sharing and finding news stories (which was possibly a bad habit in the first place), this newsletter is both trustworthy and easily digestible. Sure, you can probably scroll through it all before you even drag yourself out of bed in the morning, but don’t let the easy-toread format fool you into thinking hard work didn’t go into reporting each line.

snagged Crutchfield a prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award in May – gives Nashville a brief, honest look at itself, the elusive goal of good journalism and a service to the entire city.

ELI MOTYCKA

BEST ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING ADAM FRIEDMAN

ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ

BEST RADIO FEATURE ‘DISPLACED’ BY AMBRIEHL CRUTCHFIELD

Ambriehl Crutchfield’s short package of interviews sits at the intersection of gentrification, real estate, city politics, housing and structural racism, a critical waypoint as the city prepares the next chapter on the East Bank. “Displaced,” reported by Crutchfield in 2022 before she departed WPLN earlier this year, chronicles the families and community at Riverchase Apartments, a sprawling complex near McFerrin Park neglected by its owners. A lucrative sale to an out-of-town developer spells uncertainty for tenants, many of whom rely on housing subsidies. The excellent three-part series — which

Adam Friedman has been busy since joining the Tennessee Lookout from The Tennessean. One major project is his “Cash for Clout” series, headlined by a new searchable database he created that allows anyone to easily search for lobbying and campaign spending by major corporations, organizations and individuals. That effort will continue to pay dividends for the transparency-minded for years to come. It has already led to eye-opening stories about the Tennessee Titans and AT&T (with Sam Stockard), and we expect more on that front.

STEPHEN ELLIOTT

BEST TIKTOK REPORTING LEVI ISMAIL

Sure, Levi Ismail could just drop old TV segments on his account and call it a day, but the NewsChannel 5 reporter understands what actually makes TikTok, er, tick. He knows the app’s preferred tones and tenors and matches its visual language perfectly — plus, he drops some genuinely great stories on there. A highlight is his two-and-a-half-minute “vertical only” story about a former police chief of Millersville offering to sell a police commission card (which

grants a degree of law enforcement authority) to a license plate reader salesman.

ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ

BEST COMMUNITY JOURNALISM NASHVILLE4ALL

In 2017, longtime community activist and writer Sheri Sellmeyer was infuriated by a xenophobic newspaper column written by a casual acquaintance (whom she knew as a highly educated family man), published in a local weekly where she used to work. She decided to counter the anti-immigrant fear-mongering by highlighting the stories of Nashville immigrants, with the goal of having at least one profile for each of the 100-plus countries represented in Nashville. Nashville4All has now profiled more than 70 immigrant stories spanning five continents and is still going strong.

CLARA WANG

BEST COMEBACK JUSTIN JONES AND JUSTIN PEARSON

When Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were expelled from office by the Republicancontrolled state House earlier this year, it felt like democracy was no longer functioning. The Democratic representatives from Nashville and Memphis, respectively, wouldn’t be heard, and the Republican supermajority loomed over those who were seeking to give voice to a grieving community and pursue gun control solutions. But the representatives’ districts sent the two back to the Capitol with quick

BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT, EMERITUS & BEST LIVESTREAM, WRITERS’ CHOICES: NASHVILLE SEVERE WEATHER

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST TIKTOK REPORTING, WRITERS’ CHOICE: LEVI ISMAIL

VOTE NEW CLIENT SPECIAL: 2 weeks unlimited yoga for $50!

unanimous votes. Jones and Pearson returned with one goal top of mind: to fight like hell for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. They carried those convictions through the remainder of the legislative session, and into August’s special session. BRADEN

SIMMONS

BEST EXERCISING OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS GUN REFORM PROTESTS

Unsurprisingly, many protests were held at the state Capitol this year. The state legislature’s Republican supermajority passed a number of hateful bills that impacted many in Nashville, including what some have referred to as a “slate of hate” targeting the LGBTQ community. But one cause brought Nashvillians together in a manner that felt like something out of a movie.

The gun reform protests that arrived in the wake of the Covenant School shooting in March saw community members from all demographics flow into the Capitol chambers, chanting and pleading with legislators to listen to the families of those who had lost children and to end the senseless violence. BRADEN

SIMMONS

BEST THING ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FARMERS MARKET SAMPLE BILL

As local and national commentators will attest, the Tennessee General Assembly didn’t win any awards for doing anything particularly progressive this year. (Or really anything at all, depending on who you ask.) But in one act of common sense, a law was passed — and signed by Gov. Bill Lee — allowing vendors at farmers markets to sample their wares and sell prepared foods as they would at one-off special events. The new permit program amends codes in a way that supporters say helps farmers and small business owners while still assuring food safety.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST FOOD INSTAGRAM @NASHVILLEMADE

I sometimes forget that Andrea West’s Instagram account (@nashvillemade) doesn’t just belong to someone in my family/friend group

BEST LIVE MIXTAPE WNXP’S THEMATIC STATIC HOSTED BY CELIA GREGORY

Everyone loves a good mixtape. To be fair, I love bad ones too, like the one a friend made me that was nothing but the song “Low Rider” front to back. However, WNXP’s Thematic Static, hosted on Thursday mornings by Celia Gregory, is a mash-up of well-curated tunes set to a theme and solicited from listeners and Gregory’s colleagues at the station. Just like on the cassette tapes of yore, it’s always a delight to see what ends up in the mix.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST NATIONAL NASHVILLE RADIO PERSONALITY GREG BRYANT

AMANDA HAGGARD

with really good posts and stories. The recipes she features on her Instagram (and on her blog plaineverything.com) are my favorite kind: They’re all based around what you have in your pantry and how you can shape it to meet your palate. The dishes are focused on simple, flavorful items, and she covers everything from the meatballs from places like Aldi and Trader Joe’s to how to repurpose odds and ends from your leftovers. West comes off as extremely down-toearth, and she’s easy to learn from.

BEST LIVESTREAM NASHVILLE SEVERE WEATHER

When you see these guys are live on YouTube, you click the hell out of that play button. The team behind Nashville Severe Weather emphasizes awareness and preparedness over panic on video, much like they do on their (champion emeritus) Twitter feed. They break down what they’re observing into helpful language so you can follow along with the stormwatch — and when they tell you to seek shelter, you listen. And when they tell you the worst has passed and it’s safe enough to go to bed, you breathe a sigh of relief alongside the thousand other viewers who tuned in.

ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ

Longtime Nashville jazz radio listeners remember Greg Bryant, aka “The Watchman,” from his days at WFSK-FM — the time our paths first crossed. A master at blending historical anecdote and musical knowledge, Bryant has a flair for conversational yet scholarly repartee that was later featured on shows at WMOT-FM (MTSU) and WNUR-FM (Northwestern University). During his time at WBGO-FM in Newark, N.J., Bryant distinguished himself in two ways. He hosted the late-night Jazz After Hours show, and teamed with critic Nate Chinen to do the wonderful podcast Jazz United, on which they exchanged opinions and assessments on various recordings, concerts and personalities. Unfortunately, despite winning the 2022 Jazz Journalists Association Award for Podcast of the Year, both Bryant’s show and podcast were victims of questionable cost-cutting moves. Fortunately, the satellite radio company Sirius XM had the good sense to hire him to host their early-evening show on the Real Jazz channel, Mondays through Thursdays beginning at 4 p.m., and Saturdays starting at 3 p.m. In addition, he’s continued his musical career when possible, backing his wife, the gifted jazz vocalist Dara Tucker, and through periodic reunions of Concurrence, his duo with keyboardist Paul Horton.

RON WYNN

BEST COMEBACK, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JUSTIN JONES AND JUSTIN PEARSON

BEST EXERCISING OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: GUN REFORM PROTESTS

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

AWAITS

BEST DAY CARE

1. Creative Care Center

2. Holly Street Daycare

3. Equally Created

BEST DOG-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

1. Diskin Cider

2. Double Dogs

3. Von Elrod’s Beer Hall & Kitchen

BEST DOG PARK

1. Two Rivers Dog Park

2. Centennial Dog Park

3. Shelby Dog Park

BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE)

1. Overbrook Catholic School

2. Eakin Elementary School

3. Christ the King School

BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

1. The Loveless Cafe

2. BoomBozz Craft Pizza & Taphouse, East Nashville

3. Nectar Urban Cantina

BEST FAMILY THERAPIST

1. Nashville Therapy Group

2. Stacy Jagger

3. Daystar Counseling Ministries

BEST HIGH SCHOOL (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE)

1. Father Ryan High School

2. Hume-Fogg Academic High School

3. St. Cecilia Academy

BEST KIDS CLOTHING

1. Magpies

2. Plaid Rabbit

3. The Getalong

BEST MIDDLE SCHOOL (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE)

1. Christ the King School

2. Meigs Academic Magnet Middle School

3. Overbrook Catholic School

BEST OUTDOOR FUN

1. Cheekwood

2. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

3. Shelby Bottoms Nature Center & Greenway

BEST PEDIATRICIAN

1. Dr. Kimberly Buie, Green Hills Pediatric Associates

2. Dr. Sunny Bell, Vanderbilt 100 Oaks Pediatrics

3. Dr. Nancy Beveridge, Children’s Clinic of Nashville

BEST PET BOARDING/DAY CARE

1. Miss Kitty’s Dog Resort

2. Yardstick Dog Hotel

3. Nashville Pet Spa

BEST PET GROOMING

1. Gabby the Groomer

2. Nashville Pet Spa

3. Floof Grooming Salon

BEST PET STORE

1. The Modern Dog Company

2. Nashville Pet Products

3. Wags & Whiskers

BEST PLACE TO ADOPT A PET

1. Nashville Humane Association

2. Wags & Walks Nashville

3. Metro Animal Care and Control

BEST PLACE TO HAVE A BABY

1. A scension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown

2. Vanderbilt University Medical Center

3. TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital

BEST PLACE TO HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY

1. Piccolo Farms Animal Sanctuary

2. We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym

3. Adventure Science Center

BEST PLACE TO TAKE KIDS WHEN IT’S RAINING

1. Adventure Science Center

2. We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym

3. Nashville Public Library

BEST PLAYGROUND

1. Fannie Mae Dees Park

2. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

3. Red Caboose Park of Bellevue

BEST PRESCHOOL

1. Overbrook Catholic School

2. Creative Care Center

3. Christ the King School

BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL

1. Overbrook Catholic School

2. Christ the King School

3. University School of Nashville

BEST SUMMER CAMP

1. YMCA Camp Widjiwagan

2. Cheekwood

3. Broadway Theatre Camp by Nashville Rep (tie)

3. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (tie)

BEST SWIM LESSONS

1. Nashville Swim Academy at Ensworth Aquatics

2. YMCA

3. SafeSplash + SwimLab Swim School

BEST TEACHER (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE)

1. Brooke Ferguson, Nashville School of the Arts

2. Sarah Osborne, Christ the King School (tie)

2. K aty Erwin, Overbrook Catholic School (tie)

BEST TOY STORE (LOCAL)

1. Phillips Toy Mart

2. Tabla Rasa Toys

3. Nashville Toys and Books

BEST VETERINARIAN

1. Dr. Marc Smith, Natchez Trace Veterinary Services

2. Dr. Steve Ladd, Hillsboro Animal Hospital

3. Dr. Judith Howell, Belmont Animal Hospital

BEST PLAYGROUND, READERS’ POLL: FANNIE MAE DEES PARK

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST PLACE TO ADOPT A PET, READERS’ POLL: NASHVILLE HUMANE ASSOCIATION

BEST DOG-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT, READERS’ POLL: DISKIN CIDER

BEST NEW PARENT COALITION RISE AND SHINE TENNESSEE

Founded by Maryam Abolfazli and several parents after the lack of action from leaders in the wake of the Covenant School shooting, Rise and Shine Tennessee came together quickly to organize around building civic engagement. In just a few months, this group has worked diligently to inform parents and build a strong coalition, and they’re determined to keep the conversation, and action, going. The nonprofit volunteer effort provided much-needed visibility to the demand from parents for sensible gun laws in Tennessee. Here’s to continuing the fight.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST-KEPT CHILD CARE SECRET THE CHILDREN’S PLAYROOM

BEST PLACE TO PLAY INSIDE FOR A FEE ALTITUDE TRAMPOLINE PARK

Altitude Trampoline Park in Hermitage has become a necessity for us during the hottest days of summer. Kids need to be able to get energy out, and when the heat index makes it impossible to be outdoors for long, an indoor jumping session normally does the trick. A membership, which is around $15 a month, is absolutely worth it if you go at least once a month. Kids can jump for up to three hours per day, and that’s enough jumping for anyone.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST STORE FOR A LITTLE PRINCESS OR PRINCE THE GETALONG

professionals — and they host regular art classes and drop-in classes too.

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST FIRST SHOW MUSICIANS CORNER

finale, the Bug made sure we all had “the time of our lives.” AMY STUMPFL

BEST ADAPTATION FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES NASHVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE’S HIP HOP CINDERELLA

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

I’m flabbergasted when parents don’t know about The Children’s Playroom. Drop off kids ages 6 months to 12 years for $11 to $13 an hour, and just $4 more for a second child. Kids can stay for seven hours a day, up to 20 hours per week, in Brentwood or Belle Meade. They can enjoy the indoor playground, video games, activities or devices, along with food and drinks you can buy on site for shockingly reasonable prices. The best part? You don’t need a reservation for kids over 15 months, and they’re closed only eight days a year. A true job- (if not life-) saver during this nationwide child care shortage.

BEST PLACE TO PLAY INSIDE FOR FREE PLAZA MARIACHI

Saturdays at Plaza Mariachi are for the children. There’s a giant play structure inside the arcade that doesn’t cost anything to play in, and on most Saturdays, they have programming specifically for kids that won’t cost you anything. Sometimes there are folks dressed up as Disney characters, other days they’ll have free face-painting, occasionally they’ll hand out free books. There’s always great music. I never get away totally free because of all the delicious food for sale, but it’s still a good bargain either way.

AMANDA HAGGARD

The Getalong is more than just a kids’ store — they have classes, kid-friendly performances, clothing, home goods and, yes, toys. The store’s selection (all from women-owned businesses) will especially please the kids in your life who lean into fairy tales and pretend play. Crowns, wands and dolls are plentiful here, and the stuffies are unique and beautifully made. A collection of local female proprietors (January Moon, Unders) mix with larger brands (this is the spot to get all your Maileg accessories) to fill this local spot with wonder for parents and kids. Pop by for a super-soft swaddle or outfit, stay for a music or art class in the back!

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY LITTLE ART HOUSE

No shade to Chuck E. Cheese, but if your child prefers quieter, more creative gatherings, Little Art House is a great option. Located in Hillsboro Village, Little Art House provides birthday parties with themed art crafts tailored to your child’s interests, and staff will outfit the kids in aprons to keep their clothes clean and guide them with clear instructions. Plus, the partygoers get to leave with a craft or two. That’s right — built-in party favors! Sisters Emma Bradford and Leighton Lancaster started the business — they both have art degrees as well as master’s degrees, so you know you’re getting

If you’re on the fence about spending money to take your kids to a show that they may or may not sit through, Musicians Corner is a lovely place to start. First of all, it’s free, so if your kid decides halfway through that they’d rather scream than hear singing, you’ll have no financial guilt about walking away. Second, there’s green space everywhere, so there’s room to move around without fear of your kid smearing ice cream on the folks next to you. Third and most importantly, the tunes — provided by excellent performers like Alanna Royale, The Watson Twins, Kyshona, Jessie Baylin and many more — are ones you’ll actually want to hear.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST HOLIDAY CONCERT THE THEATER BUG’S HOLIDAY MIXTAPE

The holidays just wouldn’t be complete without The Theater Bug’s annual winter concert. And with Holiday Mixtape, this incredible nonprofit wrapped up the perfect seasonal treat with a “totally radical” ’80s twist. Young performers (ranging in age from 6 to 17) delivered a great mix of songs from the MTV era complete with classic dance moves. Laura Matula’s polished arrangements amped up the fun, and the kids were backed by top-notch musicians. From the opening number (Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis”) to the big Dirty Dancing

Cinderella is one of those classic tales that has inspired countless adaptations — from films to musicals, ballets, operas and even video games. So it was lovely to experience such a fresh approach with the premiere of Hip Hop Cinderella at the Nashville Children’s Theatre in April. Billed as “an intergalactic romp,” this imaginative new work follows Ella C, who loses her sneaker at the Hip Hop Ball and Rap Competition, sending her prince “on a quest throughout the stars.” With smart direction from Ernie Nolan, terrific design elements and some really fun performances, this Cinderella gave us a modern twist on happily-ever-after.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST DAY TO TAKE THE KIDS TO THE FRIST FRIST ARTS FEST

The Frist Art Museum is family-friendly no matter the day of the week, but because of the general noise level on Frist Arts Fest days, it feels much more sustainable to keep a young kid engaged in the museum. During Frist Arts Fest, the local institution hosts live music performances (this year they partnered with WNXP) and has several interactive options that appeal to the whole family. For this year’s iteration, they also had a Rock and Roll Playhouse inspired by Storied Strings at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST STORE FOR A LITTLE PRINCESS OR PRINCE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: THE GETALONG

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: ELIZABETH JONES

BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY, WRITERS’ CHOICE: LITTLE ART HOUSE

BEST FREE OUTSIDE FUN

ELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL CENTER

Ellington Agricultural Center packs a lot of punch for a day outdoors. There’s an iris garden on site and some excellent old farm equipment to check out if you head away from the trail and toward the buildings. Typically my family heads straight down toward the creek from the trail. The walking areas have recently been spruced up, so it’s an easy walk down, even with small kids.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST EXTREME NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT CECIL’S SKATE SHOP

Cecil’s Skate Shop knows that a great skate shop should be a community hub. The shop is nestled on a cozy corner of East Nashville near places to get coffee, ice cream or a drink, and it invites skaters over with a mini ramp located right out front. The folks you’ll see around there skew younger — the shop is attached to previous Best of Nashville winner Tabla Rasa Toys after all — but you’ll see skaters of all ages and skill levels trying out new tricks if you ever stop by the small but beloved store.

COLE VILLENA

BEST LIBRARY/PLAYGROUND COMBO SOUTHEAST DAVIDSON LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY CENTER

At least once every couple weeks, the combo of Southeast Davidson Library and Community Center is on deck for our household. First we’ll

return some books and check out some new ones, maybe pick up a hold or two if I’m lucky, and then we can venture out to the playground. Sometimes there’s a snow cone vendor outside for an added treat, and other times we can also head into the Ford Ice Center to watch some hockey practice. There’s a walking track circling the play area and plenty of green space to run around or have a picnic.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST BLOG/INSTAGRAM FOR PARENTS FRECKLEFACED ADVENTURES

Kelly Davis, mom of two, runs the adorable blog Frecklefaced Adventures. It’s full of ideas for local parents on ways to get out of the house and keep their little ones occupied. And she’s a great follow on Instagram (@frecklefaced_ adventures) because she shows the reality of life with toddlers. But her greatest service as a mom blogger is that she grades parks and outings by their bathroom facilities. Of course, all humans are equipped with a bladder. But no one knows the importance of having access to an on-site bathroom more than a parent. By helping families get to know the area one adventure — and bathroom — at a time, Kelly is providing a major resource for Nashville.

TOBY ROSE

BEST VET FOR RESCUE PETS VCA MURPHY ROAD

As Nashville drowns in doodles, people who love rescues (and the challenges they come with) are

rare. VCA Murphy Road is such a place. When my 11-breed mix, Levon, proved too nervous for even Prozac to calm, they offered me phone consultations, sedated exams done in tandem with grooming, and other extra-mile behaviors that simplified our lives. This is to say nothing of their beautiful end-of-life care for my last rescue, Ripley, which included waived X-ray fees, a handwritten note from staff, and her paw print delivered with her ashes. In short, they are the people who rescue people who rescue pets.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST DOG GROOMER MOBILE PET SPAWS

For the pet owners among us with fancy little lads and lasses who require regular grooming, one of the trickiest factors is scheduling. Dropping your furry little pal off, fighting traffic to pick them back up, and doing it every month or so — who has the time? Miraculously, the folks at Donelson-based grooming business Mobile Pet Spaws have a fleet of mobile units equipped with commercial generators. That means they can come to you, set up shop in your driveway, and give your dog a bath, nail trim, haircut — the works — all in the span of an hour or two. What’s more, their groomers are talented and attentive, and when they’re done, they’ll even

text you a photo of your pup, glamour-shot style. Convenient and chic. D. PATRICK

BEST PLACE TO GET AN AMPHIBIOUS/FISHY FRIEND THE AQUATIC CRITTER

Taking your crew to The Aquatic Critter is like going on a field trip, minus the boring tour guides and mandatory sack lunches. Open since the ’90s, the store is split into two sections: fish (pretty) and reptiles (scaly). As with any good hobby shop, the clerks know their merchandise and become very animated when talking about their products. In this case, there’s a lot to talk about, and your kids will soon learn that it’s fun to pick a reptile expert’s brain. If you’re not a fan of snakes, don’t enter. Everyone else, proceed.

TOBY ROSE

BEST BIRD RESCUE EXOTIC AVIAN SANCTUARY OF TENNESSEE

Thanks to director Kim Hannah and a committed group of volunteers, the birds at Exotic Avian Sanctuary of Tennessee have the best lives possible: fresh food, natural perches, enrichment and free flight in large indoor and outdoor aviaries. Caring for a hundred parrots is a demanding job, and Hannah has heroic resilience. She

RODGERS

BEST PLACE TO GET AN AMPHIBIOUS/FISHY FRIEND, WRITERS’ CHOICE: THE AQUATIC CRITTER

BEST FREE OUTSIDE FUN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: ELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL CENTER

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST DOG GROOMER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MOBILE PET SPAWS

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ELIZABETH JONES

For over 50 years our family company has been at the forefront of technology while embracing the equipment and techniques of yesteryear. From century old engraving printing presses to state-of-the-art digital equipment (and everything in between). Visit us on the web, give us a call or stop by and see us in person!

brings expertise and compassion to every task, whether it’s rehabilitating birds from hoarding cases, organizing emergency medical care or even catching a cockatoo strutting the sanctuary halls. I’m a former volunteer, and EAST is the reason I’m writing this while surrounded by six rescue parrots of my own. LENA

MAZEL

BEST PET INSTAGRAM OLD FRIENDS SENIOR DOG SANCTUARY

Earlier this year I wrote that Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary’s Instagram is “a jackpot of adorable canine content.” I stand by that assertion. Thanks to OFSDS, my feed is constantly pep-

pered with gray muzzles and precious videos of dogs resting, playing and being pushed around in strollers. They remind us that many senior dogs are still pups at heart, and they deserve to be loved and celebrated like the rest of ’em. While our canine friends may get old, the pictures of them never do.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST SCALY SANCTUARY KOMODO DRAGON ENCLOSURE AT THE NASHVILLE ZOO

This summer, with funds donated by the Patton family, the Nashville Zoo opened a brand-new enclosure for the facility’s Komodo dragons. It’s a particularly fitting home for the Komodos — the largest lizards in the world — as it’s the biggest enclosure of its kind in the Americas. With fewer than 1,400 of these spectacular, scaly, cold-blooded predators remaining in the wild, the conservation efforts of the zoo, which partnered with the Komodo Survival Program through the Species Survival Plan, are beyond admirable. Plus, Nashvillians now have a special new spot to lay eyes on the zoo’s big lizards — including superstar Lil Sebastian, a 9-foot, 200-pound Komodo.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST ZOO BABY PENELOPE THE RED RUFFED LEMUR AT THE NASHVILLE ZOO

The truth is that every zoo baby is the best, but rules are rules, so one has to win. Penelope the red ruffed lemur was born to first-time mom Phoebe on April 20 and immediately captured hearts with her wide-eyed stare and rosy fluff. As if that wasn’t enough, Penelope’s birth was celebrated as a step forward for her critically endangered species. She may be part of a conspiracy — a group of lemurs, that is — but Penelope’s cuteness is no joke.

HANNAH CRON

BEST SCALY SANCTUARY, WRITERS’ CHOICE: KOMODO DRAGON ENCLOSURE AT THE NASHVILLE ZOO

BEST ZOO BABY, WRITERS’ CHOICE: PENELOPE THE RED RUFFED LEMUR AT THE NASHVILLE ZOO

BEST BIRD RESCUE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: EXOTIC AVIAN SANCTUARY OF TENNESSEE

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: NASHVILLE ZOO

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

HILLSBORO ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Serving the Nashville area for over 50 years.

At Hillsboro Animal Hospital, we are dedicated to serving our patients and clients by providing the highest principles and standards of modern medicine, surgery, and dentistry. We do this in a compassionate, home-like environment with personal attention to our clients’ and their companions’ emotional needs. We have 10 doctors and we also see exotics!

2207 Bandywood Drive | (615) 298-2663 www.hillsboroanimalhospital.net

Nashville’s Better Side of Best

FiftyForward Friends Adult Day Services

Looking for a nurturing program for your older family member or friend? FiftyForward Friends offers engaging activities, conversation, nutritious meals, day trips, exercise and more in a safe and supportive environment.

The Delta’s Deep, Dark Secret

Available at The Produce Place

400 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209 deltabluesteainc.com

We know cognitive, memory, or physical challenges can be a part of life’s journey. See how your loved one can enjoy our expanding FiftyForward Friends program which can also give you peace of mind and some well-deserved time for yourself and your other obligations. Programs in Nashville (close to Fairgrounds/Geodis Park) and Brentwood. Learn more: fiftyforward.org/supportive-care/ Contact

Every holiday season, Gaylord Opryland becomes a winter wonderland of fun, including our dazzling attraction ICE! featuring The Polar Express™, endless hours of festive family fun, delightful dining, and more. Tickets and packages are on sale now. Book a room night or package and receive exclusive benefits for overnight guests.

NOV. 10 - JAN. 1

ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com

THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

No camera could do this justice.

Are you the type that loves adventure? A vista hunter? With a dreamcatcher kinda eye? See what we see. Love what we love.

Be one of us.

VISI TCHATTANOOGA.COM

BEST BACHELORETTE

ATTRACTION/ACTIVITY

1. Bad A xe Throwing Nashville

2. Paint Your Noodz

3. BarBees Bartending

BEST COLLEGE SPORTS TEAM

1. University of Tennessee Football

2. Vanderbilt University Baseball

3. Belmont University Basketball

BEST COMMUNITY ROLE MODEL

1. Justin Jones

2. Dolly Parton

3. Kristen Nicole Hall

BEST CULTURAL CENTER

1. Frist Art Museum

2. Cheekwood

3. Casa Azafrán

BEST DAY TRIP

1. Chattanooga

2. Cummins Falls State Park

3. Arrington Vineyards

BEST NASHVILLE SC PLAYER

1. Hany Mukhtar

2. Walker Zimmerman

3. Daniel Lovitz

BEST PARK

1. Centennial Park

2. Shelby Park

3. Percy Warner Park

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH

1. Broadway

2. Nashville International Airport (BNA)

3. Centennial Park

BEST PLACE TO RIDE A BIKE

1. Shelby Bottoms Nature Center & Greenway

2. Percy Warner Park

3. Centennial Park

BEST PLACE TO SWIM

1. Centennial Sportsplex

2. Percy Priest Lake

3. Donelson-Hermitage Family YMCA

BEST PLACE TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS

1. Cheekwood

2. Bad A xe Throwing Nashville

3. The Hermitage

BEST PLACE TO WORSHIP

1. Christ the King Catholic Church

2. Cross Point Church

3. Church of the City

BEST PREDATORS PLAYER

1. Roman Josi

2. Juuse Saros

3. Filip Forsberg

BEST RELIGIOUS LEADER

1. Soccer Moses

2. Kevin Queen

3. Father Dexter Brewer, Christ the King Church

BEST BACHELORETTE ATTRACTION/ACTIVITY, READERS’ POLL: BAD AXE THROWING NASHVILLE

BEST NASHVILLE SC PLAYER, READERS’ POLL: HANY MUKHTAR

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH, READERS’ POLL: BROADWAY BEST CULTURAL CENTER, READERS’ POLL:

Joyful. Jubilant. Jolly.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS

Holiday LIGHTS is Nashville’s classic holiday tradition, featuring elegant and creative displays of lights that set the gardens aglow.

• S'mores Stations & Libations

• Holiday Marketplace

• 20-foot Poinsettia Tree

• Holiday Decor in the Mansion

November 18 – January 7

Advanced reservations required at cheekwood.org.

Proceeds benefit Cheekwood’s programs and preservation.

Cheekwood is funded in part by

Presented by Sponsored by

BEST ADVOCATES COVENANT SCHOOL FAMILIES

No parent wants to be put in the spotlight in this way, but far too many have been. The tragic Covenant School shooting in March left three students and three staff members dead and an entire community in grief. In the wake of such devastation, Covenant School family members have channeled their energy into advocating for responsible gun control by testifying in the legislature on proposed laws, advocating for mental health resources and working on bipartisan solutions for safe storage and stricter background checks — even as they’ve faced pushback, and their situation has become extremely politicized. Some of the Covenant parents have banded together to create the Covenant Families for Brighter Tomorrows organization, basing their messaging on the “timeless truths” that the late educator Katherine Koonce used in her teaching: Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly.

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST ACTIVIST

MARYAM ABOLFAZLI

When Maryam Abolfazli spoke to the crowd at a large gun control protest on March 30, just days after the Covenant School shooting — a protest of thousands, which Abolfazli spearheaded — her drive for people, for hope, and for gun safety came across passionately. After that protest, Abolfazli centered her efforts for inclusion and safety for all Tennessee children into a new organization called Rise and Shine Tennessee. Most

ing a decision to deny gender-affirming health care to Metro employees.

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST LOCAL DISABILITY LEADER WE’LL MISS ELISE McMILLAN

In any reporting I’ve done involving people with disabilities, sources have pointed me to Elise McMillan. (And most of the time I tell them, “She pointed me to you!) It’s a testament to how respected and connected she is. The longtime leader of the Vanderbilt Kennedy University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities retired this year after more than 20 years of service. She was the founding faculty member of Next Steps at Vanderbilt, the first inclusive higher-education program in Tennessee, among a number of other leadership positions and accomplishments. In short, Vanderbilt hired two people to replace her.

HANNAH HERNER

BEST ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR IDEA ALL-TERRAIN WHEELCHAIRS AT SELECT STATE PARKS

Thanks to a $136,000 grant from the TVA, the Tennessee State Parks system is improving its accessibility efforts and offering all-terrain wheelchairs for use at select parks, including three close to Nashville: Tims Ford State Park, Radnor Lake State Park and Henry Horton State Park. The motorized wheelchairs are offered free of charge, though advance reservations are recommended. Rangers will provide specific details on which trails are wheelchair-friendly. An expansion of the program to other parks is in the works.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURE WALK COUCHVILLE LAKE TRAIL AND SURROUNDING OFFSHOOTS

The first perk of this trail is that you never, ever have to wait for parking. (Radnor Lake is beautiful, but I am not trying to wait 30 minutes to park for a walk.) The Couchville Lake Trail, which is part of Long Hunter State Park, is just over two miles of paved trail looping around a small lake. Here you can also access the Nature Loop Trail, with a StoryWalk trail that has pages of a book on placards throughout the walk. And just across the parking lot is the Bryant Grove Trail, which is a little more rugged and runs four miles along the edge of Percy Priest Lake. It’s a one-way trail, so plan for enough time if you want to take it in and all the way out for the full eight-mile, out-and-back hike.

AMANDA HAGGARD

notably, the group researched and planned for the Tennessee legislature’s special session on gun control, combing through all of the public comments left for Gov. Bill Lee and organizing it into presentable data points. During the special session, Maryam made her presence known daily, showing up at committee meetings, stopping lawmakers in the hallway to discuss policy and challenging a rule that banned protest signs in the House chamber. As chair of the Metro Human Relations Commission, Abolfazli also advocates for Nashvillians at the local level — she recently filed an ethics complaint regard-

BEST FREE PROGRAMMING TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM

Not only is admission to the Tennessee State Museum free — it also has the best free programming to engage with year-round as well. From the family-friendly Carols, Cookies and Crafts holiday event to the Lunch and Learn programming and the regular TN Writers | TN Stories author talks, there is always some way to educate yourself at the museum without spending money. (And with all the cash you save on admission, you can head over to their excellent

gift shop.) We’re truly lucky to have this institution.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Printing things isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card! Nashville Public Library gave all cardholders a $10 monthly printing allowance (good for 100 black-and-white pages or 40 color pages) earlier this year, providing a key service for people who rely on branch computers to apply for jobs, housing or other needs. They’ve also launched the Library of Things, where members can check out musical instruments, craft supplies, kitchen items and other non-book things. It’s exciting to see a library try out new things to serve its community — check it out!

COLE VILLENA

BEST HISTORICAL MARKER BETTIE PAGE HISTORICAL MARKER

Nashville is full of historical markers identifying moments of enduring significance, from the lunch-counter sit-ins of the early civil rights

movement to the surrender of Nashville to Union forces a century prior. This year, the city added a cultural icon to its list of people and places commemorated by one of these placards: Bettie Page. In April — on what would have been the trailblazing pinup model’s 100th birthday — a historical marker was erected in front of Hume-Fogg High School, where the Nashville native graduated as salutatorian in 1940. Giving a redemptive arc to the story is the fact that Page’s marker is right across the street from the Estes Kefauver Federal Building, which is named for the U.S. senator known for his moral crusade against pornography in general and Page in particular.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST DRAG QUEEN TO LEARN CIVICS 101 FROM VIDALIA ANNE GENTRY

Many Nashvillians are loud and proud about their love for drag and their support for local drag queens. One of my favorite queens is Vidalia Anne Gentry, or as you may know her from Instagram, @vag4short. A self-proclaimed

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BEST ACTIVIST, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MARYAM ABOLFAZLI

BEST SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

BEST HISTORICAL MARKER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: BETTIE PAGE HISTORICAL MARKER

“Yee-Haw Leftist,” Vidalia was named Advocate of the Year by the Tennessee Pride Chamber for 2023. When she’s not at Bonnaroo putting Sylvan Esso in drag, she’s recording herself in full drag and reminding you to vote. And she’s not just throwing a “vote” hashtag on a post either. In her videos, Vidalia details how to find your polling location, how to research candidates and what a provisional ballot is. Vidalia Anne Gentry, we salute you.

KIM BALDWIN

BEST PRINTERS ALLEY RETURN TINA LOUISE

Last year, East Nashville native and longtime female impersonator — that’s the term she tends to prefer over, say, “drag queen” — Tina Louise was honored during a ceremony at Pecker’s Bar

& Grill for her 50 years as a Nashville performer. Though health and personal issues had taken her out of the game for a while prior to that moment, she’s now back in action at Skull’s Rainbow Room’s Drag Brunch performances in Printers Alley, not far from where she began her career many decades ago. Known for her performances of iconic country classics, Tina Louise still has all the charm and charisma of many queens half her age. It’s great to see her back.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST SKATE-SPIRATION RIVERGATE ADULT SKATE NIGHT

Rivergate Skate Center’s weekly Adult Skate Night is what I imagine it must have felt like in the heyday of roller-skating. It’s inspiring to

watch the choreography, plus the impressive spins, dips and jumps. It’s endearing to watch people skate hand in hand and share tips. Participating requires some competence — no clinging to the wall, and be sure to stay within the flow of traffic. The mix of R&B music and lights, plus the lack of kids darting to and fro, makes for a peaceful environment. One really can’t think too hard about life’s troubles when you’re afraid of busting your ass, anyway.

HANNAH HERNER

BEST ALTERNATIVE PROM ALTERNATIVE PROM AT AB HILLSBORO VILLAGE

In the months since Marcie Allen Van Mol and her husband Derek Van Mol rebranded Anzie Blue as AB, they’ve made an effort to use the new Hillsboro Village venue space to host events that reflect their values, from political fundraisers to drag shows during the state legislature’s anti-drag crusade. But AB’s highest-profile event, held in conjunction with a collection of other small business owners and creative folks, was the alternative prom for Nashville Christian School senior B Hayes. Hayes, who is nonbinary, was denied admission to the school’s senior prom because they were wearing a pantsuit, rather than a dress. AB pulled out all the stops with live music, a rainbow cape for Hayes and a message of inclusion.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD VIBE RIVERSIDE VILLAGE

Sandwiches. Pizza. A pharmacy. Coffee. Beer. Tacos. Sushi. Pad Thai. French food. Natural wine. Baked goods. More baked goods. A health clinic. A flower truck. Live music. Neighborhood dogs. A gas station. An EV-charging station. A bus stop.

Where can you find all of this in a several-block radius? Inglewood’s Riverside Village. The intersection of McGavock Pike and Riverside Drive has become the kind of place where you want to hang out, see your neighbors and stroll home afterward. It’s thanks to intentional planning to create a community-first retail center.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST ARCADE TITO’S PLAYLAND AT PLAZA MARIACHI

Tito’s Arcade is the perfect size for an arcade, ’cause you can keep an eye on your kids with one sweeping glance. Plus they have a solid mix of skill-based and luck-based games, aren’t stingy with their tickets and have a decent repair time for broken machines. Some chucklehead recently broke one of my beloved WhacA-Moles, but I know Tito’s will take care of it sooner than later. And bless the staff for their patience. I have to drag homework out of my kids, but the second they step up to the prize counter, they start doing Rain Man figures in their heads, negotiating with whatever innocent teenager happens to be working that day. Somehow, they let us come back time and time again.

TOBY ROSE

BEST FACE-LIFT TO A SMALL, NONDESCRIPT BUILDING

THE NEW IBERIAN PIG STRUCTURE IN THE GULCH

Located at 607 Overton St., this two-level structure is home to Spanish tapas restaurant The Iberian Pig. As seen now, it’s difficult to fathom that the building previously housed Colt’s Chocolates. Property owner MarketStreet Enterprises and Castellucci Hospitality Group (which owns The Iberian Pig) had Atlanta-based Smith Hanes Studio give the building a second floor, new windows, a set of stairs and a major color-palette change. In addition, the building now offers various Spanish language words and phrases (in yellow), including “Comidas por Encargo” (food on request) and “cava” (cellar). A tasteful and distinctive new appearance indeed.

BEST NEW APARTMENT TOWER EXTERIOR DESIGN ALCOVE

WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Nashville developer Tony Giarratana and the small but talented team working at the company that bears his name are known for innovative work. But with Alcove — a 34-floor apartment tower that opened earlier this year at 900 Church St. — Giarratana & Co. delivered the goods even more than they normally do. The building suggests a giant 3-year-old went crazy with her building blocks, yielding a Jenga-esque exterior form, and it commands — and demands — attention. Giarratana had the vision, and Chicago-based architect Goettsch Partners and AECOM Hunt (general contractor) of Indianapolis brought it to life. Success.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST PRINTERS ALLEY RETURN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: TINA LOUISE

BEST SKATE-SPIRATION, WRITERS’ CHOICE: RIVERGATE ADULT SKATE NIGHT

BEST TWO-TOWER DEVELOPMENT PARKE WEST

Sitting on Murphy Road near that street’s intersection with West End Avenue, and overlooking Interstate 440, the two-building Parke West is an appropriate development for its site. The structures’ scale, appearance and usage suggest both a cohesive symmetry and an interesting independence and differentiation. Though unlike in exterior materials and color, the two towers — one a hotel and the other a residential building — play nicely off each other. Brentwood development company GBT Realty faced some stiff opposition from neighbors but ultimately charged forward and delivered a quality project that, in theory at least, has elevated the value of the residences located near it.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS

BEST WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT WEGO’S TRANSIT NAVIGATOR

If we’re going to make Nashville a more livable

city, we’ve gotta get more people out of their cars. WeGo knows that a lot of Nashvillians aren’t used to taking public transit. Two official Transit Navigators make it a lot easier. Just email wego.traveltraining@nashville.gov, and they’ll offer a free one-on-one overview of public transit for individuals or groups, helping figure out routes, timing, use of the QuickTicket by WeGo app, and fares. Combine the Transit Navigator and the fact that service times have been extended on the most frequently ridden routes as of Oct. 1, and you might soon spend less time in traffic and less money on gas.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE HANY MUKHTAR

In an epic showdown for the ages, Inter Miami CF came to Nashville on Aug. 19 for the inaugural Leagues Cup final, which pitted the best player in the MLS and Leo Messi against each other. Sure, Messi might be the GOAT, but he has nothing on Hany Mukhtar when it comes to

MLS bona fides. The reigning league MVP and Golden Boot winner once again piled up the stats (23 goals, 11 assists in 2022, 14 and 8 so far in 2023 as of this writing) while leading Nashville SC to a fifth consecutive playoff bid. All that’s left for Mukhtar on the MLS bucket list? Lifting a trophy for Nashville. LOGAN

BUTTS

BEST TENNESSEE TITAN JEFFERY SIMMONS

Last season, while the Titans took a downturn from their three-year stretch of legitimate contender status, defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons kept plugging away as one of the most game-changing forces in the NFL. Despite missing a pair of games due to injury, Simmons set new career highs for tackles and pass deflections, racked up 7.5 sacks and, perhaps most importantly, paved the way for Tennessee’s other trench behemoths to wreak havoc. Simmons is constantly double-teamed by opposing linemen, opening up pathways for Denico Autry and Teair Tart to reach the quarterback. The two-time All-Pro remains the centerpiece of the Titans defense. LOGAN BUTTS

BEST NASHVILLE PREDATOR JUUSE SAROS

The Nashville Predators were without many of their top players in the closing weeks of the 2022-23 season, in part because of injury and in part because of trades. But Juuse Saros, the team’s goalie, was the one constant in the lineup, and the primary reason the Preds remained in the playoff chase until the final days of the season. Saros played more minutes, faced more shots and made more saves than any goalie in the NHL. He saved an estimated 47 more goals than the league average, also best in the NHL.

JOHN GLENNON

BEST ROOKIE RYAN STONEHOUSE

It should have been a sign that great things were on the horizon when Ryan Stonehouse, an undrafted rookie, beat out three-time Pro-Bowler Brett Kern for the Tennessee Titans punter position in training camp last year. But no one expected the Colorado State product to immediately become one of the league’s most effective special-teams weapons. In his first season as a Titan, Stonehouse broke the NFL record for punting average and led the league in punting yards on his way to being named an All-Pro. Not bad for an undrafted rookie. LOGAN BUTTS

BEST SPEED DEMON JOSEF NEWGARDEN

Hendersonville native and two-time IndyCar series champion Josef Newgarden won the biggest race in American motorsports at this year’s Indy 500. That monumental achievement is enough to win our praise, but Newgarden amassed another three wins (the second-most in the series behind championship winner Alex Palou) en route to a fifth-place finish in the championship standings. Newgarden hasn’t finished worse than fifth in the season-end standings since joining Team Penske in 2017 — maybe next year he’ll finally pick up a win at the Music City Grand Prix? COLE

VILLENA

BEST COLLEGIATE ATHLETE GORDON SARGENT

Vanderbilt University golf phenom Gordon Sargent has fit a career’s worth of accolades into the past 15 months. After closing out his first season in Nashville by becoming the first freshman NCAA champion in 15 years, Sargent has been on a tear. He became the first amateur to compete at the Masters in more than two decades, qualified for the U.S. Open and was selected for the USA’s Walker Cup team, all en route to

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: CASEY GOWER

PHOTO: CASEY GOWER

BEST TWO-TOWER DEVELOPMENT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: PARKE WEST

BEST NASHVILLE PREDATOR, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JUUSE SAROS

BEST SPEED DEMON, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JOSEF NEWGARDEN

I have a people-first, relationship-centric approach to real estate. There is no such thing as a ‘past client’ at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Woodmont Realty. There are only authentic relationships that strength with time, and - through life’s ups and downs - continue to endure forever.

being named the world’s best amateur for the 2023 season. The latter achievement earned him invites to two more majors in 2024, so it’s safe to say Sargent’s run is far from over.

LOGAN BUTTS

BEST NBA DRAFT SELECTION BEN SHEPPARD

Sheppard turned himself into an NBA first-round pick the old-fashioned way — by working his way up the ladder over four years at Belmont. He played just 11 minutes a game as a freshman but averaged 18.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a senior, earning all-Missouri Valley Conference honors. Sheppard’s improvement, and his strong showing against bigger names at the NBA Draft Combine, paid off when the Indiana Pacers selected him in the first round (26th overall) of the NBA Draft. He became the second Belmont player to be drafted in the first round in the past five years, joining Dylan Windler (2019).

JOHN GLENNON

BEST TEAM

VANDERBILT BOWLING

Can you name the only team in Nashville to win a Division I national championship in 2023? It wasn’t Vanderbilt baseball, Belmont

basketball or Tennessee State track and field. None of the city’s pro franchises finished as the last team standing, either. For those not paying attention, Vanderbilt bowling brought home the program’s third national title in April. With National Player of the Year Mabel Cummins (a Hermitage native) and National Coach of the Year John Williamson leading the way, the ’Dores were the easy choice for the city’s best team. President Joe Biden agreed — Vanderbilt received an invite to the White House in June.

BEST HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE MENSI STIFF

As she heads off to compete at Ole Miss this fall, Brentwood Academy’s Mensi Stiff leaves behind a trail of destruction through the Tennessee track and field record books. Since breaking a pair of 37-year-old records in 2021, the discus and shot put star has only been chasing herself. Stiff became the first athlete in state history to be named the Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year three times, and she became the first Tennessean to earn first-team All-American status from Track and Field News. In total, she won nine state championships while at Brentwood

Academy. It will be a long time before anyone surpasses Stiff’s marks.

BEST COACH JERRY STACKHOUSE

Jerry Stackhouse’s fourth season guiding Vanderbilt men’s basketball team was his best, as the Commodores (22-15, 11-7) won 22 games for the first time since the 2011-12 season. In addition, Vanderbilt finished with a winning record in the competitive Southeastern Conference for the first time since 2016-17. Stackhouse was voted SEC Co-Coach of the Year along with Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams. The Commodores knocked off No. 6 Tennessee, No. 15 Arkansas and No. 23 Kentucky during the regular season, then produced a good postseason — reaching the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and the quarterfinals of the NIT Tournament. JOHN

BEST GAME WINNER TYRIN LAWRENCE

GLENNON

Coming into this year’s game against the No. 6 ranked Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt basketball fans were likely expecting another loss. Given the two straight years of losses to Tennessee, it wasn’t unwarranted. But this year was different. The game was tightly contested through 40 minutes of play, coming down to one final shot. Due to some timely missed free

throws by Tennessee, Vanderbilt ended up with the ball with 4.8 seconds left on the clock. The ’Dores pushed the pace down the court until the ball ended up in the hands of Tyrin Lawrence in the corner. Lawrence rose up and sank the three, sending Tennessee back to Knoxville with their first loss against the Commodores in two years — and giving Vanderbilt fans an unforgettable night. BRADEN SIMMONS

BEST PARKING LOT WRASSLIN’ BLOCK PARTY BEATDOWN AT NO QUARTER

When thousands of beermakers flocked to Nashville for the annual Craft Brewers Conference earlier this year, local bars and breweries were determined to show them this city knows how to party. And No Quarter threw the biggest, most outlandish party of them all: Block Party Beatdown, a celebration of punk rock, wrestling and beer. While local thrashers like Christian Girls and 95COROLLA raged in the back, DIY wrestling crew Retinal Wrestling executed flying elbow drops from the Gallatin Pike pinball bar’s parking lot. The main event got rained out, but the warmup show was a master class in blood, sweat and beers. Can I get a hell yeah? LANCE CONZETT

PHOTO: USGA PHOTO: VANDERBILT ATHLETICS

PHOTO: VANDERBILT ATHLETICS

PHOTO: BELMONT UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BEST COLLEGIATE ATHLETE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: GORDON SARGENT

BEST TEAM, WRITERS’ CHOICE: VANDERBILT BOWLING

BEST COACH, WRITERS’ CHOICE: JERRY STACKHOUSE

BEST NBA DRAFT SELECTION, WRITERS’ CHOICE: BEN SHEPPARD

BEST AESTHETICIAN

1. Griffin Churchwell, Plastic Surgery Center of Nashville

2. Alexandra Rye, ABR Esthetics

3. Kay Mason, Nourish Skin Nashville

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

1. Dr. Jim Sweeney, Sweeney Chiropractic

2. Dr. Kevin Bradshaw, Bradshaw Chiropractic

3. Dr. Andrew Dixon, Dixon Center

BEST DENTIST

1. Dr. Ashish Patel, Nashville Dentistry Co.

2. Dr. Leslie Dillard, Dillard Dental Services

3. Dr. Ashley Moayedi, Excel Dental Center

BEST GYM/FITNESS CLUB

1. QNTM Fit Life

2. Fit Factory Nashville

3. Boost FitClub

BEST HAIR REMOVAL

1. The Wax Suite Nashville

2. Wax Nashville

3. Brazilian Wax Studio

BEST HAIR SALON

1. Green Pea Salon

2. Cognito Hair Design

3. True Blue Salon

BEST HAIR STYLIST

1. Macks, The Hideout Salon and Lounge

2. Mark Hartman, Cognito Salon

3. Brandy White-Johnson, True Blue Salon

BEST HOLISTIC WELLNESS

1. MaxWell Clinic

2. Abounding Grace Birth Services

3. Encircle Acupuncture

BEST HOSPITAL

1. Vanderbilt University Medical Center

2. Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown

3. TriStar Centennial Medical Center

@citylash.beauty

BEST LASIK SURGERY CENTER

1. Loden Vision Centers

2. Wang Vision Institute Nashville

3. LASIK MD Nashville

BEST LASH SALON

1. Remedy Lash Co.

2. City Lash & Beauty

3. Lash Out Nashville

BEST MASSAGE

1. Woodhouse Spa

2. Escape Day Spa and Salon

3. The Lotus Room

BEST MEDI SPA

1. Karee Hays Esthetics

2. Elan Skin

Itmeanssomuchtoustohaveyoursupportand forvotingKareeHaysasBestofNashville!Our clientsmeantheworldtousandnothingmakesus happierthangivingyouthesignatureKHGLOW.

3. RG Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

BEST NAIL SALON

1. CURED Nails

2. Poppy & Monroe

3. Allure Nail Salon

BEST MICROBLADING STUDIO

1. Jeanette Wirz Permanent Cosmetics & Microblading

2. Nashbrows

3. Anastacia Aesthetics

BEST OB-GYN

1. Dr. Donna Crowe, Women Obstetrics & Gynecology

2. Dr. Sharon Norman, Women Obestetrics & Gynecology

3. Dr. Rebecca Eia, Women’s Group of Franklin

BEST OPTOMETRIST

1. Dr. Michele Sonsino, Optique

2. Dr. Rachel Hart, Loden Vision Centers

3. Tommy Ducklo, Ducklo Eyecare

BEST ORTHODONTIST

1. Braces by Dr. Ruth

2. Hall Orthodontics

3. Gluck Orthodontics

BEST ORTHOPEDIC GROUP

1. Hughston Clinic Orthopaedics

2. Elite Sports Medicine

3. Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST NAIL SALON, READERS’ POLL: CURED NAILS

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BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

1.Tarik Ramusovic, Boost FitClub

2. Jefferey Shelton, Get Fit X

3. Tyler Price, Title Boxing Club

BEST PHARMACY

1.NPS Pharmacy

2. Walgreens

3. CVS

BEST PLACE TO GET A BLOWOUT

1.The Blowout Co.

2. Blo Blow Dry Bar

3. Drybar

BEST PLASTIC SURGEON

1.Dr. Chad Robbins, Robbins Plastic Surgery

2. Dr. J Roberto Ramirez Gavidia, RG Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

3. Dr. Mary Gingrass, Plastic Surgery Center of Nashville

BEST PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN

1.Dr. Jeffrey Jordan, Crossroads Medical Group

2. Dr. Julia Gomez, Sterling Primary Care

3. Dr. Nicole Baggott, Heritage Medical Associates

BEST REFLEXOLOGY

1.Bucca Reflexology and Foot Spa

2. Salt and Soles

3. Crest Foot Massage

BEST SKIN CARE CENTER

1.Karee Hays Esthetics

2. RG Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

3. Elan Skin

BEST SPA

1.Escape Day Spa and Salon

2. Woodhouse Spa

3. O.liv Body Bar

BEST THERAPY CLINIC

1.Delilah Counseling

2. Southeast Psych Nashville

3. Nashville Therapy Group

BEST YOGA STUDIO

1.Hot Yoga of East Nashville

2. Bend and Zen Hot Yoga Nashville

3. Small World Yoga

Thank you

for Voting Hughston Clinic Orthopaedics

- Best of Nashville 5 Years Running -

Forrest P. Allen, DO Interventional Pain and Spine

John R. Burleson, MD Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon

Jonathan P. Cornelius, MD

Arthroscopy, General Orthopaedics, Hip, Knee, Shoulder, Sports Medicine, and Trauma

Benjamin P. Debelak, DO

Arthroscopy, General Orthopaedics, Knee, Shoulder, and Sports Medicine

Robert P. Fogolin, MD

Arthroscopy, General Orthopaedics, Knee, Trauma, and Orthobiologics

Christopher M. Jones, MD Sports Medicine & Surgery of the Shoulder, Knee, Hip, and Elbow

Christopher P. Kauffman, MD Orthopaedic Spine Specialist

William C. Mayfield III, MD General Orthopaedics, Hip, Knee, Shoulder, and Sports Medicine

Tiffany Feltman Meals, DO General Orthopaedics, Hip, and Knee

William N. Melton, MD Hand, Wrist, and Elbow, Wide-Awake Surgery, Orthopaedic Trauma and Fracture Care

Gregg A. Motz, MD

Arthroscopy, General Orthopaedics, Knee, Orthobiologics, Shoulder, and Sports Medicine

Shawn P. Mountain, DO

Arthroscopy, Foot & Ankle, and Sports Medicine

R. James Renfro, Jr., MD

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Todd A. Rubin, MD, CAQ Hand, Wrist, & Elbow, and Trauma

Joseph C. Schaffer, MD

Arthroscopy, General Orthopaedics, Hip, Sports Medicine, and Trauma

Michel A. Taylor, MD, MSc, FRCSC

Foot & Ankle, Knee, and Orthopaedic Trauma

Marc A. Tressler, DO

Foot & Ankle, Hip, Orthobiologics, Shoulder, and Trauma

BEST AESTHETICIAN CARMEN MABRY

As a young girl, Carmen Mabry learned the importance of taking care of her skin from her mother and grandmother. Later, during her first summer job as a part-time makeup artist for Prescriptives, Mabry found her passion for helping clients look their best. Mabry’s career led her to work with top brands like Clarins, Lancôme, Christian Dior, La Prairie, Chanel, BY TERRY and Laura Mercier. Today, working at lovely Green Hills boutique Private Edition, she is focused on good skincare, and helps clients perfect their skin’s health through a variety of facial treatments and renowned products like Omorovicza.

Her goal is to help clients have healthy, glowing skin — with or without makeup.

BEST NAIL SALON CHAO NAIL + BAR

Sometimes you just need someone else to take care of your cuticles. That’s where Chao Nail + Bar comes in. With its online scheduling and meticulous staff, Chao is very efficient. Sit in the high-tech massage chairs and enjoy a beverage (wine if you’re lucky!) in the sunny interior. The establishment prides itself on nontoxic polish options, and nailing the nail-art trends. As a bonus, you can grab a bubble tea next door at Banh Mi and Roll +. HANNAH HERNER

BEST AESTHETICIAN, WRITERS’ CHOICE: CARMEN MABRY

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

NAIL SALON, WRITERS’ CHOICE: CHAO NAIL + BAR

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST NATURAL NAIL SALON CURED NAILS

Mallory McIlwain started CURED Nails because she saw a need in the nail industry — a place that could do away with loud, abrasive drills, minimize the use of chemicals and focus on creating a relaxing environment. With white walls, comfortable sofa seating and a great playlist, the CURED experience is kind of like a day spa. They also offer skin and body treatments like facials, body waxes and brow work.

JANET KURTZ

BEST MASSAGE BUCCA REFLEXOLOGY AND FOOT SPA

The best part of a pedicure is the massage. The folks at Bucca Reflexology and Foot Spa — who do massages, not pedicures — know this. For $60, you get 60 minutes of relaxation: 10 of head and face massage, 40 of foot reflexology and 10 more of back and hands. Real talk? They will work. You. Out. You get what feels like a fullbody massage — in an hour, in your clothes, for $75 with a 25 percent tip. Bonus: Because you’re not covered in oil, you can leave relaxed and

ready to go. If you store tension like squirrels store nuts, these folks will find it.

ASHLEY BRANTLEY

BEST NEW FACIAL PIETRO SIMONE FACIAL AT THE SPA AT FOUR SEASONS

Luxury European skincare darling Pietro Simone has arrived in Nashville via the Four Seasons Hotel spa. Those caring for the health of their skin will find the new facial and body techniques offer excellent skin rejuvenation. Each treatment combines Pietro Simone skincare — including the patented Italian Bella Complex — and the dry massage technique and Signature Organic-Cotton Thread method. The specific roughness of the organic-cotton thread captures dead cells that are then removed by the peeling action. This combination of techniques aids the body in detoxification and exfoliation, leaving the skin glowing and radiant with the feeling of cashmere.

JANET KURTZ

BEST

FRANK

As a fourth-generation acupuncturist, Frank Ly helps patients with a variety of conditions —

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from sinus infections and blood pressure treatment to weight-loss support and treatment of the symptoms of menopause. Ly splits his time between practices in Huntsville and Memphis, which means he’s at his office in Berry Hill on Tuesdays for treatments.

JANET KURTZ

BEST NEW MED SPA SKINBODY NASHVILLE

patients on ways to mitigate the chances of skin cancer, Kantrow takes time to answer a variety of questions, which allows patients to advocate for their own skin health. She is a certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist — meaning she not only treats patients, she also studies the tissue samples from biopsies to determine the diagnosis.

JANET KURTZ

SkinBody Nashville offers a host of aesthetic services and treatments, including traditional services like lip fillers and microneedling, but also specialty treatments like CoolSculpting Elite, nonsurgical facelifts and hair restoration. In addition to all that, SkinBody assists women as they age through the Empower RF program, which helps with weak pelvic floor muscles, blood circulation, pain relief and more.

BEST DERMATOLOGIST DR. SARA M. KANTROW

JANET KURTZ

As cases of skin cancer continue to rise, so too does the need for a good dermatologist. Dr. Sara Kantrow was educated at Princeton and Vanderbilt, and is passionate about all aspects of skin health. While working to help educate

BEST HEALTH APP FEEL FOR YOUR LIFE

Having been diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma and undergoing 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and much more, Feel for Your Life creator Jessica Baladad is a passionate advocate for breast health. During the pandemic, breast health screenings were being canceled — leading to later-stage diagnoses, which can lead to devastating results. To help educate the community on how to do self-screenings, Baladad created the Feel for Your Life app. Using modules, workshops, blogs and more, the app helps users advocate for their own health with informed questions to ask health care providers.

JANET KURTZ

BEST LIP BALM THISTLE FARMS’ LOVE HEALS UNSCENTED LIP BALM

The women at Thistle Farms — the nonprofit social enterprise that helps women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking and addiction — make an array of impressive products, but nothing surpasses the Unscented Love Heals Lip Balm. They sell a version of the lip balm with fragrance, but the simple combo of organic shea butter and sweet almond oil in the unscented version is just enough. The product isn’t greasy, and the $4 tubes last an extremely long time. Buy one for every friend you have.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST CHEAP WORKOUT EAST PARK COMMUNITY CENTER

There’s no dearth of options for Nashvillians looking to join a gym — from high-intensity CrossFit outposts to 24-hour fitness centers and everything in between. But if you’ve got a full schedule and are looking for a place to stay active without forking over a ton of cash, it’s hard to do better than the city-operated East Park Community Center. Located on Woodland Street, EPCC offers a fitness center, a gymnasium, a dance studio, an indoor track, an indoor

pool and a slate of exercise classes, not to mention youth and senior programs. The best bit is just how affordable it is: Monthly fees are $30 for adults and $20 for kids and seniors. Or if you’d rather play it by ear, it’s just $3 per visit for adults and $1.50 for youth and seniors.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST LIFTING FUNDRAISER PRIDE DEADLIFT PARTY

Weightlifting can seem like an individual pursuit, but communities do indeed spring from the shared interest of moving increasingly heavy amounts of iron up and down. And those communities can rally around each other and for their neighbors — as was the case with the Pride Deadlift Party held at Music City Muscle, organized by local body-positive personal trainer Barbara Puzanovova. The North Nashville gym — owned by local strongman Blake Harris — was decked out in rainbow gear while pop music blared, and queer folks and allies alike turned out to take turns deadlifting in front of a supportive and enthusiastic crowd. The event’s $2,090 proceeds went to Oasis Center and Trans Aid Nashville in a show of solidarity at a time when the state legislature is ostracizing trans youth. ALEJANDRO

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BEST LIP BALM, WRITERS’ CHOICE: THISTLE FARMS’ LOVE HEALS UNSCENTED LIP BALM

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BEST MOVING COMPANY

1. True Friends Moving Company

2. Home and Office Transitions

3. 6th Man Movers

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD

1. East Nashville

2. Sylvan Park

3. Germantown

BEST NURSERY/GARDEN CENTER

1. Bates Nursery and Garden Center

2. Gardens of Babylon Landscapes

3. JVI Secret Gardens

BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE

1. Sprintz Furniture Showroom

2. Head Springs Depot

3. B.F. Myers Furniture

BEST PLUMBER

1. Morton Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

2. Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical

3. Lee Company

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

1. Ivy Arnold Vick

2. Griffin Jamerson

3. Jamie Shea

BEST REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE

1. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Woodmont Realty

2. Parks Real Estate

3. Engel & Völkers Nashville

BEST SENIOR LIVING

1. Blakeford at Green Hills

2. Abe’s Garden Community

3. Harmony at Brentwood

BEST SPECIALTY CONTRACTOR

1. Blue Chip Restoration

2. Footprints Floors

3. Maxwell Roofing & Sheet Metal

BEST GARDEN SUPPLY

JVI SECRET GARDENS

By the time spring rolled around, it became clear that the 2022 Christmas freeze wreaked a silent apocalypse on the city’s shrubbery. Yards once adorned with grand hydrangea bushes, stately fruit trees and magnificent magnolias had been left shriveled, brown and sad. I stumbled upon JVI Secret Gardens while trying to replace some of what we lost, and found a nice variety of native foliage you can’t find at big-box retailers, including more established trees and shrubs (which are more likely to survive the shock of transplant or a harsh winter). Feeling overwhelmed? Head to the back of the property,

plop down on a bench and zen out amid the displays of waterfalls, Japanese gardens and lazy koi ponds. RADLEY

BEST WAY TO CLEAN UP YOUR BASEMENT JUNKDROP NASHVILLE

Junkdrop Nashville offers a lovely way to get rid of some of the junk piling up in your home. This service, which charges varying flat fees depending on whether they’re picking up furniture or helping you with a full clean out, doesn’t just take the stuff out of your house — it also helps sort and deliver it to folks in need at nonprofits across the city. For example, some of the folks who sell Nashville’s street newspaper, The Contributor, benefit from

BALKO

BEST GARDEN

WRITERS’ CHOICE: JVI SECRET GARDENS

NEAL JOHNSTON STEVE AUSTIN

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Junkdrop when they get into housing. The service also offers a number of tips for recycling and reusing items on its website. Now there’s no excuse to keep putting off cleaning out that basement.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST FREE RESOURCE FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT

NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY’S LIBRARY OF THINGS

The new Library of Things at the Nashville Public Library includes all kinds of neat items to check out, from board games to health and fitness equipment to musical instruments. But if you ask me, the best items on the list are those that can help folks with DIY projects: There are a number of tools, a sewing kit, an engraver, a loom and more. Items can be checked out for free for as long as three weeks. It’s just another reason to love the library.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST PLACE TO BUY A HOSTESS GIFT HESTER & COOK

If I were stocking my kitchen from scratch, I would head to Hester & Cook. The Hillsboro Village store contains beautiful display platters, golden measuring cups, colorful

glassware and all the materials needed to throw a sophisticated party. On your way to a friend’s house, stop by to pick up a themed tea towel, a novelty wine pourer, some Bang Candy treats or a well-designed cookbook for your hostess — and pick up a little something for yourself as well. You deserve pretty things too! Hester & Cook has additional locations in Franklin and West Nashville.

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST HOME FRAGRANCE RANGER STATION

Ranger Station started as a way to kill time between tours. Former drummer Steve Soderholm was living in a refurbished ranger station, and named his scented candles after his humble abode. He and his wife Jordan started selling the candles, poured into reusable cocktail glasses (now sold with a cocktail recipe and a box of matches), and eight years later in July 2023 opened their first brick-and-mortar shop in 12South. Some of their scents are regular offerings. Others, like a one-off partnership with singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, sold out in a day and had a waiting list of more than 1,000 people.

MARGARET LITTMAN

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST HOME FRAGRANCE, WRITERS’ CHOICE: RANGER STATION

BEST DRAG BRUNCH, READERS’ POLL: SKULL’S RAINBOW

BEST ART GALLERY

1. Cë Gallery

2. Bennett Galleries

3. 100 Taylor Arts Collective

BEST ART HAPPENING

1. Paint Your Noodz

2. Cheekwood Events

3. Tomato Art Fest

BEST BEER EVENT/BEER FESTIVAL

1. East Nashville Beer Festival

2. Brew at the Zoo

3. Ok toberfest

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

1. Brooklyn Bowl

2. Eastside Bowl

3. Donelson Plaza Strike and Spare

BEST CHARITY EVENT

1. Broadway Brunch

2. Boulevard Bolt

3. Ballet Ball

BEST CHEAP DATE

1. Arrington Vineyards

2. Centennial Park

3. A ssembly Food Hall

BEST COMEDY VENUE

1. Zanies Comedy Night Club

2. The East Room

3. Third Coast Comedy Club

BEST DRAG BRUNCH

1. Skull’s Rainbow Room

2. Suzy Wong’s Drag Brunch

3. 5 Points Diner

BEST DRAG PERFORMER

1. Dee Zastris

2. Alexia Noelle

3. Kennedy Ann Scott

BEST EVENT/ FESTIVAL (LOCAL)

1. Nashville Pride Festival

2. Cheekwood Holiday Lights

3. Tomato Art Fest

BEST FILM/TV ACTOR OR ACTRESS (LOCAL)

1. Reese Witherspoon

2. Charles Esten

3. Connie Britton

BEST FOOD EVENT

1. Music City Hot Chicken Festival

2. Nashville Scene’s Burger Week

3. Nashville Scene’s Hot Chicken Week

BEST FREE FUN

1. Centennial Park

2. Broadway

3. Tennessee State Museum

BEST LGBTQ BAR

1. Canvas

2. The Lipstick Lounge

3. Play Dance Bar

BEST MOVIE THEATER

1. Belcourt Theatre 2. AMC 3. Regal

BEST MURAL

1. Gulch Wings

2. Bettie Page Mural

3. I Believe in Nashville Mural

BEST MUSEUM

1. Frist Art Museum

2. National Museum of African American Music

3. Tennessee State Museum

BEST PERFORMING ARTS GROUP

1. Nashville Ballet

2. Nashville Repertory Theatre

3. Studio Tenn

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

1. Holly Douglas & Co.

2. Angelina Castillo

3. Myles Wilson

BEST PLACE TO PLAY POOL

1. Melrose Billiard Parlor

2. L akeside Lounge

3. Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge

ROOM

BEST LGBTQ BAR, READERS’ POLL: CANVAS

PHOTO: JM COLLECTIVE

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

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BEST PLACE TO THROW DARTS

1. The Villager Tavern

2. Lakeside Lounge

3. Mickey’s Tavern

BEST PLACE TO SEE A PLAY

1. Tennessee Performing Arts Center

2. Nashville Repertory Theatre

3. Darkhorse Theater

BEST PRINTMAKER/ POSTER DESIGNER

1. Hatch Show Print

2. Camp Nevernice

3. Friendly Arctic

BEST STAGE ACTOR/ ACTRESS (LOCAL)

1. Megan Murphy Chambers

BEST STAND-UP COMEDIAN (LOCAL)

BEST THEATER COMPANY (LOCAL)

1. Nashville Repertory Theatre

2. Studio Tenn

3. Nashville Shakespeare Festival (tie)

3. The Theater Bug (tie)

BEST TRIVIA NIGHT

1. Elite Trivia With DJ DaHWu at Plane Jane

2. Lipstick Lounge

3. Honeytree Meadery

BEST VISUAL ARTIST

1. Sarah Spillers

2. Ivy Rhodes/IvyLordArt

3. Elisheba Israel Mrozik

2. Katie Bruno

3. Lauren Berst

1. Nate Bargatze

2. J. McNutt

3. Josh Black

BEST STAGE ACTOR/ ACTRESS, READERS’ POLL: MEGAN MURPHY CHAMBERS

Image by Aubrey Watson Photography

Image by Aubrey Watson Photography

CULTURE

BEST MUSEUM GROUP EXHIBITION

MULTIPLICITY: BLACKNESS IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN COLLAGE AT THE FRIST ART MUSEUM

Curator Katie Delmez began formulating Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage about 10 years ago, when the Frist hosted the 30 Americans showcase of the Rubell Family Collection. This exhibition, which opened in September and stays on view at the Frist through Dec. 31, shows every bit of that time and consideration. There are 52 artists represented in the expansive, nuanced exhibition, which is required viewing for anyone interested in collage, Black culture or the kinds of complex ideas that are best communicated through contemporary art.

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

GROUP EXHIBITION NASHVILLE HOT SUMMER AT RED ARROW

BEST GALLERY

Nashville Hot Summer had one of the best exhibition titles of the year, and the show lived up to its dog days title by lighting the fuse of the city’s warm-weather art season back in June. The show featured 11 international artists and 22 paintings on identical 16-by-20-inch canvases, and the results couldn’t have been more varied or viewable. Nashville Hot Summer was emblematic of Red Arrow’s central mission of representing and curating excellent painters.

It was also one of the rarest kinds of displays: a consistently sophisticated show with something for everyone.

JOE NOLAN

BEST SOLO EXHIBITION ALICIA HENRY: ALICIA AT FISK’S CARL VAN VECHTEN GALLERY

An artist as important and influential as Alicia Henry deserves a showcase like Alicia, the exhibition curated by Jamaal Sheats that was on display at Fisk for the better part of 2023. It was an intimate but wide-ranging show that included textile-based works, ceramics, collages — even paintings with embroidered elements — all lovingly selected by Sheats, who is Henry’s longtime colleague at Fisk, and her former student. It was a fascinating autobiography of a show that was still somehow full of surprises.

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BEST SOLO DEBUT SAI CLAYTON: HĀFU AT RANDOM SAMPLE

For a debut exhibition, Sai Clayton’s Hāfu was astoundingly taut. Conceptually ambitious but still specific to Clayton’s personal vision, the Random Sample show included paintings, textiles, woodblock prints and even an artist’s book, and was unlike anything else I saw in 2023. Clayton is one to watch.

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BEST SOLO PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW

DAVID PIÑEROS: SKULLCAP AT ZEITGEIST

From Weegee and Clark to Araki and Arbus, photographers are drawn to subcultures. David Piñeros’ Skullcap hung at Zeitgeist after our Best of Nashville issue went to press last fall, but I can never leave a good show behind. Piñeros’ black-and-white street portraits capture figures who are squeezed into ripped fishnets, pierced and inked, high as kites and out after midnight. The photographer’s images look as if they could have been snapped in London in 1975, but they capture Nashville’s present-day underground punk scene intimately and with empathy.

JOE NOLAN

BEST COLLAGES

DELIA SEIGENTHALER: TRIALS & DISPOSITIONS AT JULIA MARTIN GALLERY

The accessible, democratic nature of collage makes it an art form that anyone can access. That said, you might look at a lot of collage artists before you find one with a truly exceptional knack for the form. Delia Seigenthaler’s Trials & Dispositions brought the Halloween vibes to Julia Martin Gallery last fall. The exhibition avoided dreaded collage kitsch-ery in favor of genuinely spooky puppet sculptures and evocative 2D works that were equal parts Dada experiment and Mary Shelley.

JOE NOLAN

ARTS &

WRITERS’ CHOICE

BEST SOLO EXHIBITION, WRITERS’ CHOICE: ALICIA HENRY: ALICIA AT FISK’S CARL VAN VECHTEN GALLERY

BEST SOLO DEBUT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: SAI CLAYTON: HĀFU AT RANDOM SAMPLE

BEST MUSEUM GROUP EXHIBITION, WRITERS’ CHOICE: MULTIPLICITY: BLACKNESS IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN COLLAGE AT THE FRIST ART MUSEUM “AIRBORNE DOUBLE,” DEREK FORDJOUR. ACRYLIC, CHARCOAL, CARDBOARD, OIL PASTEL AND FOIL ON NEWSPAPER MOUNTED ON CANVAS; 60 X 100 IN. FRANCES FINE ART COLLECTION, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST, DAVID KORDANSKY GALLERY, AND PETZEL GALLERY, NEW YORK.

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST STATEWIDE ART EVENT TENNESSEE TRIENNIAL FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

With the help of consulting curator María Magdalena Campos-Pons, the ambitious statewide Tennessee Triennial for Contemporary Art became a monumental event. From Jan. 27 through May 7, Tennessee’s four largest cities — Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga — hosted contemporary art events and exhibitions organized around the theme “RePair.” The event was organized by Tri-Star Arts, and pushed forward an idea that Campos-Pons raised in an interview earlier this year: “Painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, performance art are what constitutes the fabric and the skin of the city.”

LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BEST FORMALIST EXHIBITION ALEX McCLURG: PRESENT AT THE BROWSING ROOM

Alex McClurg’s Present opened at The Browsing Room at Downtown Presbyterian Church back in November. The show was aptly titled, as it was a display of the Birmingham, Ala.-based artist’s work that spoke to this moment in contemporary painting. Art is trendy, and trends are pendulous. Content-focused canvases are predictably fading as an inevitable return to formalism reasserts itself. The future of painting is formalist, abstract and uniquely personal, and it looks more like early modernism than midcentury abstract expressionism. McClurg’s geometric, repetitive works are great examples of

the formalist burblings at the edges of American painting. And this quiet display, with its muted palette and layered, graphic sensibilities, came through loud and clear.

JOE NOLAN

BEST SOUTHERN PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION SOUTHERN IMAGE TAKERS AT DAVID LUSK GALLERY

David Lusk’s Wedgewood-Houston outpost started a flashy new year when it opened its 2023 calendar with Southern Image Takers back in January. The show paired William Christenberry’s overgrown and ramshackle snaps with William Eggleston’s saturated scenes from the Deep South. I’m still having flashbacks of an Eggleston-colored picture of a gumball machine from this show. Southern Image Takers was a double-barreled display by two of the region’s most iconic photographers, and a choicely curated exhibition that conjured an engaging dialogue between two icons who influenced each other’s work and lives.

JOE NOLAN

BEST ARTISTIC BREAKTHROUGH KAREN SEAPKER: GREEN’S YOUR COLOR AT ZEITGEIST GALLERY

The Scene writers get to make up their own Best of Nashville award categories, and back in 2018 I gave local painter Alex Blau a “Best Artistic Breakthrough” notice for her Night Swimming display at Zeitgeist. It’s my way of spotlighting an established artist who is still taking chances, expanding their creative vocabulary, and generally leveling up their gallery game. Karen

Seapker has become a regionally celebrated painter with her colorful, abstracted depictions of motherhood and contemporary life. Seapker’s signature style might have become overly familiar before she shook up her practice with Green’s Your Color, pairing altar-like platforms with large, low-hanging paintings. These pieces read more like sculpture installations than 2D displays, bringing a welcome gravitas and solemnity to the painter’s colorful florals and playful figurations.

JOE NOLAN

BEST GALLERY IMPROVEMENTS THE PARTHENON

The Parthenon’s exterior gets all the love. It’s part of Nashville’s iconic skyline, and the backdrop to a thousand Centennial Park photos. The inside is sometimes overshadowed, save for a trip to see the gilded Athena. But the Parthenon’s galleries should not be overlooked. They’ve mounted some of the most interesting shows of the year, including Emily Dorio and Karen Elson’s See You Me and the current The Role of a Replica. And that doesn’t even touch on the permanent collection of American art. Turns out the Parthenon’s not just for Percy Jackson fans.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST ARCHIVE PROJECT FACES OF NORTH NASHVILLE AT 100 TAYLOR

Cashville’s Carlos Partee and Michael Ewing joined forces to curate an archive of photographs showing the people of North Nashville yesterday and today, and they presented it in a compelling and moving exhibition at 100 Taylor. Ewing called it an expression of Black self-affirmation. They mined Fisk University’s Special Collections archive to find images of Blackowned businesses, and invited local photographers to exhibit portraits taken in recent years. The best part was the family archive that Partee contributed: Snapshots of his family members through generations invited conversations about how we tend to our family histories and why we should.

ERICA CICCARONE

BEST

SHOWCASE OF LOCAL

PHOTOGRAPHERS GUITAR TOWN: PICTURING PERFORMANCE TODAY AT THE FRIST ART MUSEUM

Something we know about the future of live music in Nashville is that it won’t look and feel quite the same as it has during the past decade.

BEST FORMALIST EXHIBITION, WRITERS’ CHOICE: ALEX Mc CLURG: PRESENT AT THE BROWSING ROOM

BEST ARCHIVE PROJECT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: FACES OF NORTH NASHVILLE AT 100 TAYLOR

BEST SHOWCASE OF LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: GUITAR TOWN: PICTURING PERFORMANCE TODAY AT THE FRIST ART MUSEUM

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

One way we can consider what changes are good or bad is by reflecting on the dozens of fleeting moments captured in Guitar Town, which hung from April through August in the Frist’s Conte Community Gallery. It collects concert coverage of 10 photographers — Angelina Castillo (who joined the Scene’s staff this year), Lance Conzett, Steve Cross, Emma Delevante, H.N. James, Jon Jo, Laura E. Partain, John Partipilo, Jenni Starr and Diana Zadlo — many of whose work you’ve seen in our live-review column The Spin. They eloquently showcase a network of communities evolving, keeping the creative spirit burning bright in the face of immense challenges brought by growth that our city hasn’t fully reckoned with yet.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK

DARK WATERS BY KRISTINE POTTER

Murder Creek, Poison Cove, Deadman’s Pond — these are just some of the waterways named for violence that are snaking their way across the South. In Dark Waters, Kristine Potter juxtaposes these quietly ominous landscapes against portraits of water-soaked women, meant to evoke the spirits of murder ballad victims. It’s an arresting collection of work, one that forces

BEST PANDEMIC COMEBACK NUMBER

The art journal Number was founded at the University of Memphis in 1987. It’s the oldest art journal in the state, and when the pandemic hit in 2020, it was a double whammy. Not only had the nonprofit publication struggled to remain solvent, the era’s social-distancing concerns shut down Art of the South — a celebrated annual juried regional exhibition and a Number fundraiser. In 2022, The Packing Plant owner and local music historian Jon Sewell became interim editor of the publication, successfully transitioning its coverage to a mostly online model. Art of the South also made a big comeback with its Nashville debut at Zeitgeist Gallery in October 2022. (Full disclosure: I’m a longtime Number contributor and I had a painting in this show.) The journal and the annual exhibition have been important Southern art touchstones for decades, and it’s remarkable to see them still thriving in their new home right here in Nashville.

JOE NOLAN

BEST WORKSHOPS TURNIP GREEN CREATIVE REUSE

There’s an abundance of art-related workshops around town that allow you to explore your creativity and gain new skills. While artists absolutely deserve to be fairly compensated for their time and expertise, affordability can sometimes be a barrier for entry. Enter Turnip Green Creative Reuse, which has access and sustainability baked into its business model. Alongside the nonprofit’s epic warehouse of donated, nameyour-price art supplies, there are also workshops for all kinds of people. From popsicle-stick crafts for kids to leather-working workshops and more, the themes are as creative as the folks running them — and it’s all affordable.

KELSEY BEYELER

BEST NOVEL I AM HOMELESS IF THIS IS NOT MY HOME BY LORRIE MOORE

Homeless if This Is Not My Home pairs a Civil Warera spinster with a modern-day history teacher on administrative leave. Although the two never meet, their voices unfold mystery upon mystery about death and dying, giving us no answers but a satisfying sense of exploration. You’ve never read anything like it.

ERICA CICCARONE

BEST NONFICTION BOOK NO CHOICE: THE DESTRUCTION OF ROE V. WADE AND THE FIGHT TO PROTECT A FUNDAMENTAL AMERICAN RIGHT BY BECCA ANDREWS

Becca Andrews had been working on her book about the slow burn of narrowing access to abortion for three years when Roe v. Wade was overturned. She completed what was supposed to be two months of work in two weeks to turn out No Choice, a feat that is award-worthy on its

can make or break the experience. When it comes to her audiobooks, Ann Patchett does not play. Her last novel, The Dutch House, was read by Tom Hanks. Her latest novel, Tom Lake, is read by Meryl Streep. It had not occurred to me that I would like to hear 11 hours and 22 minutes of Meryl Streep’s voice in my ears as I take my men-

the reader to confront how prevalent violence against women is in popular media — from music to television to true-crime podcasts. Dark Waters is equal parts seductive and harrowing, a complicated work that rewards an empathic eye.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST PHOTO ZINE SUNNYSIDE PROJECTS, NASHVILLE SEEN, VOL. 1

Late last year, Sunnyside Projects put out a call for submissions for their first group zine: a collection of photos by Nashville photographers of what Nashville looks like to them. Nashville Seen, Vol. 1 collects work by 29 local photographers, including documentary photographer Tamara Reynolds, prolific visual artist Seck and Wilco member Pat Sansone (who published 100 Polaroids back in 2010). The result is a zine that crisscrosses the city, capturing moments, people and places that give Nashville its unique texture. We can’t wait for the next one.

LANCE CONZETT

Lorrie Moore’s fans waited 14 years for another novel. Because she’s Lorrie Moore — an author with a singular voice, a fantastic wit and a mastery of metaphor — it was worth the wait. I Am

own. The MTSU alum artfully weaves together personal narratives with the history of abortion access to give the most effective context. The reader can learn how we got here to better equip us for where we are going.

HANNAH HERNER

BEST MEMOIR ABOUT NASHVILLE MUSIC DON’T TELL ANYBODY THE SECRETS I TOLD YOU BY LUCINDA WILLIAMS AND MAYBE WE’LL MAKE IT BY MARGO PRICE (TIE)

Lucinda Williams and Margo Price have plenty in common: a penchant for poets on motorcycles, a hard-fought music career with some downright wild twists, and the fact that they both got where they are today mostly on their own terms. Both released memoirs in the past year that were full of refreshing honesty, detailing some of the similarities above and more. The writing in each is engaging, and the storytelling spectacular. Williams’ story, of course, spans more time and goes a little wider than Nashville, while Price gets us a little closer to home — Murfreesboro references and all.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST AUDIOBOOK TOM LAKE BY ANN PATCHETT

Audiobook listeners know the narrator’s voice

tal health walks. Let me tell you, I can’t go back. If you come across me in the woods months from now and I’m relistening to Tom Lake, mind your business.

KIM BALDWIN

BEST DEBUT NOVEL DO TELL BY LINDSAY LYNCH

Lindsay Lynch is the book buyer for Parnassus Books. You may be thinking, “What an advantage for an author!” Counterpoint: Your job is to know how many of each book sells in your store and what kind of books your customers buy. Can you imagine still deciding to write a book under those conditions? I cannot. My anxiety wouldn’t let me. Luckily for us, Lynch did write a book, and it’s fantastic. Her debut novel Do Tell is about the Golden Age of Hollywood, gossip col-

umnists, bad behavior covered up by powerful studios and a glimpse of what queerness looked like back then.

KIM BALDWIN

BEST LITERARY EVENT

SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS

Humanities Tennessee — our state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities — has been putting on quite the block party for going on 35 years with the Southern Festival of Books. With author talks and book signings, live music and a smorgasbord of Tennessee literary groups in attendance, it’s the perfect way to stack your TBR pile high and make new friends. The 2022 fest featured bigwigs, emerging talents and fan favorites — like Imani Perry, Patrick Raden Keefe, Tara Stringfellow, Peng Shepherd, Margo Price, Isaac Fitzgerald and many, many more. I can’t wait till this year’s event — it’s happening Oct. 20 through 22 (wink wink).

ERICA CICCARONE

BEST COMEDIAN NATE BARGATZE

In April, hometown hero Nate Bargatze set an attendance record at Bridgestone Arena, bringing a reported audience of 19,365 to our neighborhood enormodome. The show arrived on the heels of the Old Hickory native’s Hello World, an hourlong Amazon Prime comedy special full of Bargatze’s deadpan delivery and clean, relatable material — jokes that are somehow infinitely more hilarious than the sum of their parts. It’s been an absolute delight watching the Donelson Christian Academy alum rise from friendly local stand-up to nationally recognized comedian, and so we’re happy to bestow him with

this year’s honors as Nashville’s Best Comedian.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST ACTOR MEGAN MURPHY CHAMBERS

Megan Murphy Chambers has been charming local audiences for years. But she’s been particularly busy this past season, serving up a sweet performance (that tested the limits of buttercream frosting) in The Cake, making all of our wishes come true as the wonderful Wizard of Oz, and even playing everyone’s favorite “Backwoods Barbie” in Dolly Parton’s musical comedy 9 to 5 — all while hosting Sid Gold’s popular Show Tunes at Sid’s. But it was her solo cabaret show Funner that really showcased Chambers at her beautiful, bawdy best. Balancing razor-sharp wit with stellar vocals, she’s truly a Nashville favorite.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST NEW WORK HEAVY

Alicia Haymer has floored us again. The triple-threat actor-playwright-director rolled up her sleeves to do all three of those jobs in Actors Bridge Ensemble’s Heavy. It’s a play about the old wounds of a family, and children who hope a little magic can repair bigotry. Shawn Whitsell, playing the veteran son unable to put the war behind him, was especially striking. His character’s ache burned and radiated. When the lights came on, no one in the audience moved or made a sound. That’s power.

ERICA CICCARONE

to the local arts scene. In fact, this Nashville native has been performing since the age of 9. But since graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she’s been on a real roll, turning in strong performances at the Rep, Studio Tenn, Nashville Shakes, NCT and more. This season alone, she soared in the title role in Aida, took a big, delicious bite out of The Cake, and grooved her way through the galaxy in Hip Hop Cinderella No doubt about it, this promising young artist is definitely going places.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST THEATRICAL EXPERIMENT VERGE THEATER’S WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT

It’s not often that a piece of theater really catches me off guard. But that was certainly the case with Verge Theater’s daring production of White Rabbit Red Rabbit in January. Featuring a different actor at every performance — with each actor stepping up to offer a cold read of Nassim Soleimanpour’s thought-provoking script — WRRR took us all out of our comfort zones, in the best possible way. Exploring tough themes surrounding life, death, free will and individual responsibility, it’s just the sort of fascinating work we’ve come to expect from the good folks at Verge. AMY

STUMPFL

BEST REVIVAL OF A HOLIDAY TRADITION DAVID ALFORD’S A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER

There was definitely a chill in the air last November as audiences arrived at the historic Belmont Mansion to see David Alford in A Holiday to Remember. But this delightful recitation of two of Truman Capote’s most beloved short stories (“The Thanksgiving Visitor” and “A Christmas Memory”) soon warmed all our hearts. It

BEST UP-AND-COMING TALENT MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY

Maya Antoinette Riley is certainly no newcomer

was wonderful to see Alford back onstage, with stories underscored by live original music from Paul Carrol Binkley. Once an annual favorite at the Rep, this tender piece still has the power to move us — evoking holidays of long ago, while honoring Nashville’s theatrical roots. AMY

BEST INTERNATIONAL LINEUP OZ ARTS

STUMPFL

OZ Arts has long been a champion of local art and artists. But spring 2023 found the contemporary arts center hosting an exciting international lineup that kept audiences coming back for more. Promising a “window to the world,” the spring season featured groundbreaking artists from South Africa, France, Algeria, Canada, Guinea and Ukraine. There were high-octane performances representing a wide range of ideas and disciplines — from music and dance to theater and multimedia. But what tied these extraordinary works together was the global perspective they provided. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting way to wrap up OZ Arts’ 10th season. AMY STUMPFL

BEST CONTEMPORARY DRAMA NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE’S FENCES

August Wilson’s Fences is so rich that I could see it every five years and feel moved, and this was especially true at Nashville Rep’s production in TPAC’s Polk Theater. Directed by local treasure Jon Royal, Fences mined Wilson’s chest of treasures with aplomb. Clark Williams hit all the right notes as the play’s patriarch, Troy Maxson, by turns charming and terrifying. He was backed up by a lively Kenny Dozier as Bono and a terrific Cameron L. Mitchell as Cory. The heart of Fences is Troy’s long-suffering wife Rose,

BEST COMEDIAN, READERS’ POLL AND WRITERS’ CHOICE: NATE BARGATZE

BEST CONTEMPORARY DRAMA, WRITERS’ CHOICE: NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE’S FENCES

A

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JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL & STEPHEN TRASK

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OCTOBER 20 & 21

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Tony Award-winning cultural icons and Hedwig co-creators

John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask make a special, timely visit to Tennessee to demand justice for all members of the queer community. Get ready for an unforgettable night of hilarity, campy performances, unabashed queerness, and special guests — all to benefit ACLU of Tennessee’s LGBTQ+ Justice initiatives!

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“A dinner party as a theatrical spectacle”

PHOTO BY SACHYN MITAL

played here powerfully by Alicia Haymer. With an autumnal set by Gary C. Hoff and perfect sound by André C. Allen, the Rep’s Fences proved that — at least in the case of August Wilson — you can’t argue with the classics.

ERICA CICCARONE

BEST OPERA NASHVILLE OPERA’S STUCK ELEVATOR

In a season packed with classics, Nashville Opera treated audiences to a most unusual work — Stuck Elevator Inspired by an actual incident in which an undocumented Chinese food delivery man was trapped in an elevator for 81 hours, the piece incorporates a wide range of musical influences — from rap and pop to classical and even elements of modern dissonance. It was a wild ride to be sure, but artistic director John Hoomes — together with an incredible, internationally acclaimed cast — never let us lose sight of the story’s emotional truth and humanity.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST NEW BALLET NASHVILLE BALLET’S ANTHOLOGY

Nashville Ballet’s longtime artistic director Paul Vasterling has often found inspiration in the most unlikely of places. In fact, in creating his newest work, Anthology, he discovered a host of beautiful but often-overlooked stories at the Nashville City Cemetery. Offering a powerful blend of movement, music, projected imagery and local history, Anthology introduced audiences to everyone from the formerly enslaved philanthropist Lucinda Bedford to Nashville’s first policewomen, Elizabeth Goodwin and Gertrude Whitney. It proved to be a worthy way to celebrate Vasterling’s final season as Nashville Ballet’s artistic director, while reminding us that everyone’s story deserves to be told.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST CABARET SERIES STUDIO TENN AND TPAC’S CABARET ON STAGE SERIES

First launched in 2021 as a way to welcome audi-

ences back post-COVID, Studio Tenn and TPAC’s popular Cabaret on Stage series continues to bring the best of Broadway right here to Music City. Over the past three seasons, the series has welcomed Broadway favorites such as Adam Pascal, Shoshana Bean, Norm Lewis, Judy Kuhn, Kristin Chenoweth and more. And with audience members seated at cozy tables on the TPAC stage right up alongside the performer, it feels more like a real New York-style cabaret experience — with great stories, songs and plenty of star power.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST SUMMER TICKET KINDLING ARTS FESTIVAL

Honoring accessibility and experimentation, Kindling casts a wide, effervescent net. This

year’s festival was particularly satisfying in its small acts. Josh Inocalla — a local mainstay offering big heart to supporting roles — staged a reading of his first play. Whip-smart and funny, How to Clean a Wound dealt in big themes intimately. The play is about staying true to yourself as you search for community. Based on the audience — full of theater folk who tearfully gave the play a minutes-long standing ovation — I’d say Inocalla has nailed it. On the other side of town, a troupe of folks mounted a good old-fashioned menagerie of deep strangeness with The Cackleberry County Fair. Madeleine Hicks, Hayley Rose Maurer, Kara McLeland and Emma Supica turned OZ Arts into a hillbilly hoedown, complete with a mayor you could milk, a husband-dumping contest, some naughty face

painting, the World’s Prettiest Pig (who many attendees bottle-fed) and much more. Innuendos abounded in the best ways.

ERICA CICCARONE

BEST NEW ARTS PARTNERSHIP STREET THEATRE COMPANY, VERGE THEATER COMPANY AND THE BARBERSHOP THEATER

Street Theatre Company kicked off 2023 with an exciting announcement — a new partnership with Verge Theater Company and a long-term residency at The Barbershop Theater. It has proven to be a smart move for everyone involved, allowing both Street and Verge to really focus their efforts while expanding programming. There have also been some thoughtful improvements to the Barbershop itself, with a new multipurpose building that includes a green room and orchestra pit. Best of all, local audiences know they can count on this hardworking crew to produce innovative works that they’re not likely to see anywhere else in town.

AMY STUMPFL

BEST REPERTORY SERIES BELOVED: A SPOTLIGHT SERIES ON BLACK FEMALE FILMMAKERS

The Belcourt’s special projects associate Sheronica Hayes curated our favorite repertory series this year. Beloved: A Spotlight Series on Black Female Filmmakers included essential cinema classics, like Julie Dash’s gauzy, powerful Daughters of the Dust, and some little-known gems, like Ayoka Chenzira’s energizing Alma’s Rainbow. With special add-ons, like Ciona Rouse’s post-Daughters poetry workshop, the series provided opportunities for meaningful engagement and celebration of these wide-ranging films.

ERICA CICCARONE

BEST NEW BALLET, WRITERS’ CHOICE: NASHVILLE BALLET’S ANTHOLOGY

BEST SUMMER TICKET, WRITERS’ CHOICE: KINDLING ARTS FESTIVAL

These Justin boots were worn by Patty Loveless in 1989—the same year she became the first female country artist to endorse the brand and scored her first #1 hit with “Timber I’m Falling in Love.”

From the exhibit Patty Loveless: No Trouble with the Truth

artifact: Courtesy of Patty Loveless artifactphoto: Bob Delevante

RESERVE TODAY

BEST FILM FESTIVAL DEFY FILM FESTIVAL

In August, Defy Film Festival hosted what felt like the most happening iteration yet of the 8-year-old local celebration of experimental film. Defy has done a great job of maintaining and refining its curatorial focus and not pursuing growth for growth’s sake. The result is a Southern film phenomenon that’s organically attracted an exceptional community of moviemakers with its excellent programming of challenging and innovative cinema.

JOE NOLAN

BEST FILM PROGRAM STRONG LEADS AT THE BELCOURT

For a few weeks a year, the halls of the Belcourt Theatre fill up with a different kind of crowd — groups of vibrant, giggling teenage girls. The Strong Leads program brings girls from local high schools together to view and discuss films directed by and starring women. Films made by female directors are still a box-office minority, and Strong Leads helps connect the creative minds of tomorrow with stories and creators they can relate to. Open to girls of all identities, Strong Leads creates a necessary haven for open expression and creativity for the brightest minds.

HANNAH CRON

BEST BIG-SCREEN EXPERIENCE REGAL OPRY MILLS IMAX

I’m a lover of film, physical media and communal experiences, and so there was nothing quite like basking in the glow of the 70mm print of Christopher Nolan’s epic biographical thriller Oppenheimer alongside a packed theater full of excited moviegoers this summer at the Regal Opry Mills IMAX. With the equipment rumored to have been upgraded by the Oscar-nominated director himself, the theater was one of only 30 worldwide capable of screening the film in its

intended format. The projectionists and employees at Regal Opry Mills deserve a round of applause. LOGAN BUTTS

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY JASON ISBELL: RUNNING WITH OUR EYES CLOSED

HBO’s Music Box documentary series profiles musicians at the top of their game, taking a look behind the scenes at their creative processes and the lives that inspire them. Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed, directed by Sam Jones, is its latest entry, and follows Americana master Jason Isbell through the process of recording his 2020 album Reunions while facing all the demons awakened along the way. Isbell’s at-times tense relationship with his wife and fellow musician Amanda Shires serves as the unexpected heart of the film, leaving viewers with a portrait of life and love they won’t soon forget.

HANNAH CRON

BEST CULTURAL DOCUMENTARY ‘NASHVILLE BACHELORETTES: A BEN ODDO INVESTIGATION’

Last year — shortly after the cutoff for the 2022 Best of Nashville issue — local comedian (and, full disclosure, occasional Nashville Scene contributor) Ben Oddo debuted “Nashville Bachelorettes: A Ben Oddo Investigation.” The 30-minute documentary, which is now available to watch via YouTube, is an in-depth look at Nashville’s most visible demographic of tourists. Full of interviews with sociologists, bachelorette party planners, longtime tour guides and city bigwigs, “Nashville Bachelorettes” doesn’t mock the doc’s titular subjects, but rather explores a fascinating and — to locals, anyway — often obnoxious local trend with compassion and a great deal of humor.

D. PATRICK RODGERS

BEST FILM PROGRAM, WRITERS’ CHOICE: STRONG LEADS AT THE BELCOURT

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

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FAITH

BEST BAND (LOCAL)AND

BEST COUNTRY MUSIC ARTIST, READERS’ POLL: CODY PARKS AND THE DIRTY SOUTH

BEST BAND (LOCAL)

1. Cody Parks and the Dirty South

2. Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

3. Multi Ultra

BEST CONCERT SERIES

1. Cheekwood Under the Stars

2. Live on the Green

3. Inner Circle

BEST COUNTRY MUSIC ARTIST

1. Cody Parks and the Dirty South

2. Andrea Vasquez

3. A shley Cooke

BEST DJ (PERFORMER)

1. Afrosheen

2. Amy Darling

3. DJ Rio

BEST HONKY-TONK

1. Robert’s Western World

2. A J’s Good Time Bar

3. American Legion Post 82 Inglewood

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

1. Charlie Worsham

2. Billy Strings

3. Daniel Donato

BEST RAPPER/HIP-HOP ACT, READERS’ POLL: JYOU & K.O.N.

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER, READERS’ POLL: TAYLOR SWIFT

BEST KARAOKE BAR

1. Canvas

2. The Lipstick Lounge

3. Santa’s Pub

BEST PLACE TO DANCE

1. Canvas

2. Play Dance Bar

3. Foxy Brown

BEST PLACE TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

1. Ryman Auditorium

2. 3rd and Lindsley

3. The Basement East

BEST RAPPER/HIPHOP ACT (LOCAL)

1. Jyou & K .O.N.

2. Brian Brown

BEST RECORDING STUDIO

1. Shangri-La

2. Top Track Studios

3. Blackbird Studio

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER

1. Taylor Swift

2. Jason Isbell

3. Dolly Parton

BEST WRITERS’ OPEN MIC NIGHT

1. Soul’d Creative Collective

2. Bluebird Cafe

3. Chasin’ Melodies

3. Daisha McBride

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY MUSICAL WORK HANNIBAL LOKUMBE AND THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY, THE JONAH PEOPLE

Trumpeter, bandleader and composer Hannibal Lokumbe has had a lengthy and distinguished career. But by his own admission, nothing he’d previously done anywhere equaled either the scope or magnitude of his epic multimedia work The Jonah People. The expansive piece, a collaboration with the Nashville Symphony that combines opera, jazz and theater, had its world premiere during a four-night run at the Schermerhorn in April. In four movements called “veils,” the story compares the past 400 years of African American history to the biblical parable of Jonah and the whale: surviving the horrors of slavery, enduring Reconstruction and building lasting and vibrant communities, in spite of injustice fueled by systemic racism. “I wanted to chronicle the full measure of the African American experience — the glories and the tragedies, the incredible things that

have occurred along the way,” Lokumbe told the Scene a few weeks before The Jonah People’s debut. “Not only is it the realization of a lifelong dream, it really is for me an affirmation of everything that makes the Black experience so vital and special.”

The inaugural weekend’s staging, for a packed house, featured more than 200 performers, including African drummers and dancers, an improvisational jazz quintet, a 100-voice choir and 30 actors, filling nearly every inch of the hall that could be used for performance. And that’s not counting the costume and set designers, technicians and others who helped this fantastically rich and poignant story come to life elegantly and seamlessly. Lokumbe hopes for The Jonah People to be staged again, whether it becomes a recurring event in Nashville or travels elsewhere. It takes extraordinary skill to tell a story on this ambitious scale, and the production never lost its immediacy for a second.

RON WYNN

BEST SOLO ARTIST BULLY

Alicia Bognanno’s project Bully has been a staple of the Nashville rock scene for nearly a decade. Though the project has long been a favorite for rock fans and critics alike, 2023 has been a landmark year for Bognanno. She’s been on the road with the Pixies and opened for The Breeders in Nashville, as well as embarked on a successful headlining tour. Lucky for You, Bully’s recently released fourth album, is a tribute to Bognanno’s beloved dog Mezzi that reflects on Bognanno’s evolution with grace and rage, cementing Bully as an essential voice in modern grunge and punk rock.

HANNAH CRON

BEST ALBUM JOY OLADOKUN, PROOF OF LIFE

Joy Oladokun has spent 2023 playing shows all over town and elsewhere, and she was on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert just after the release of Proof of Life in April. The album, which was co-produced with Oladokun, Mike Elizondo,

Ian Fitchuk, Dan Wilson and Alysa Vanderheym, also features Noah Kahan, Chris Stapleton and Manchester Orchestra. That list may make it seem all-over-the-place, but the effort is cohesive and beautiful. From the anthemic “We’re All Gonna Die” to the more pensive “Somebody Like Me,” Oladokun showcases an array of rock, folk, pop and beyond. She’s all the proof we need.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY MUSICAL WORK, WRITERS’ CHOICE: HANNIBAL LOKUMBE AND THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY, THE JONAH PEOPLE

BEST SOLO ARTIST, WRITERS’ CHOICE: BULLY PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: DIANA LEE ZADLO

BEST HIP-HOP EP BRIAN BROWN, TWO MINUTE DRILL

On his first EP since dropping his debut fulllength Journey in 2020, Brian Brown can’t stop moving. Two Minute Drill is a fast and furious seven minutes and 18 seconds, the result of Brown challenging himself to rap complete thoughts on beats clocking in at less than two

BEST HIP-HOP HUSTLE SIX ONE TRÏBE

Across the breadth of Nashville hip-hop, 2023 has felt like a building year, with lots going on behind the scenes. Even so, the Six One Trïbe collective released a documentary film, played show after show — including appearances at SXSW and an unofficial Kendrick Lamar after-party at Bonnaroo — and dropped album upon album and single upon single. That goes for individual members and the collective as a unit, which released its wide-ranging second full-length Reset for the Rejects in September, barely 10 months after their debut Trïbe Over Everything STEPHEN

TRAGESER

BEST ALT-POP ALBUM BECCA MANCARI, LEFT HAND

minutes each. Tracks like “NBA Jam,” which netted props from Pitchfork, show an incredible economy of thought, pulling together lines on rap fakery and Nashville’s 2020 Christmas Day bombing in a compact package. My favorite: The “Neva Eva”-referencing cut “Trillville,” which goes hard on a John Carpenter-influenced beat by Krashmaxx. LANCE CONZETT

BEST HIP-HOP DOCUMENTARY DAISHA McBRIDE, ‘IN HER ELEMENT’

Middle Tennesseans (and folks on Instagram and X, formerly Twitter) have known about Daisha McBride’s strengths — including ferocious and insightful rhymes and incredible stage presence — for a long time. Idil Ibrahim’s half-hour documentary “In Her Element,” which aired on BET in February as part of Queen Latifah’s Queen Collective series, spread the word with style and grace. It’s a superb showcase for McBride’s talents and gives her the space to tell her story in more depth than you can get from social media alone.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

Longtime Scene favorite Becca Mancari is a master of emotional songwriting and danceable grooves. Their latest album Left Hand pushes the boundaries of exploring pain and trauma, blossoming into a beautiful invitation to self-love and peace. The record features collaborations with a who’s who of Nashville artists — including Brittany Howard, Julien Baker and Zac Farro — underlining Left Hand’s celebration of family, both the one we’re born into and the one we choose. HANNAH CRON

BEST HBCU BREAKOUT TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ARISTOCRAT OF BANDS

As their nickname “Band of Firsts” suggests, TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands has consistently broken new ground since their inception in 1946, and 2023 was another year of landmark achievements. Represented by album co-producers

Sir the Baptist, Dallas “Dubba-AA” Austin and Larry Jenkins, the AOB became the first historically Black university marching band to win a Grammy. They took home not one but two trophies from the Feb. 5 ceremony: Best Roots Gospel Album for The Urban Hymnal, and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for their contribution to The Poet Who Sat by the Door by Urban Hymnal collaborator J. Ivy. KAHWIT TELA

BEST ROCK ALBUM COUNTRY WESTERNS, FORGIVE THE CITY

Thanks to Country Westerns frontman Joseph

Plunket’s gruff howl and drummer Brian Kotzur’s muscular pounding, “Knucklen’” — the opening track from this year’s Forgive the City — goes off like a mortar shell. From there the power trio, rounded out by bassist Jordan Jones, choogles its way through 11 more tracks that marry heartland rock and power pop, dialing the dynamics down for smooth-grooving, longtime set-list staple “Wait for It” and right back up for fast-moving “Cussin’ Christians.” Like Springsteen fronting The Replacements, Forgive the City is fist-pumping, blue-collar rock ’n’ roll, and one of 2023’s finest releases.

PATRICK RODGERS

D.

BEST ROCK SONG MOLLY MARTIN, ‘I KNOW YOU THINK THAT IT’S NOT YOU’

Each track on Molly Martin’s debut album Mary shows promise, but perhaps none more so than the record’s closer. “I Know You Think That It’s Not You” takes aim at a source of every young female musician’s fear: men who exploit new artists while denying their part in the larger problem. It’s really every woman’s fear, and Martin burns her way through the grating lyrics with a rage that’s all too familiar. She makes one thing crystal clear: She’s not going anywhere but up.

HANNAH CRON

BEST ROCK COLLABORATION DOMESTIC BLISS, DOMESTIC BLISS

Domestic Bliss is about as apt a title as you can get for the self-titled debut from longtime mu-

BEST ROCK BREAKOUT VENUS & THE FLYTRAPS

STEPHEN TRAGESER

sicians and recently married couple Lilly Hiatt and Coley Hinson. It’s a thoughtful, organic and fun-as-hell blend of their various folk, soul and psych influences that doesn’t sound exactly like any of their previous individual work. There are love songs, there are songs about things not working out like you’d want, and there’s a poignant and subtle closer, “When All of Your Heroes Are Dead,” a reflection on some internal conflicts that finding your partner for life might not resolve — though it sure helps.

Venus & the Flytraps, aka Ceci Tomé and Brenna Kassis, released their fantastic Venus in Love EP in May and have been busy ever since. Between a record release show, plenty of opening gigs and not one but two sets at Bonnaroo, the duo has made itself impossible to ignore. For such a young band, Venus & the Flytraps have made it obvious that there’s no stopping their riot-grrrl-inspired musical chemistry. They definitely don’t make things worse together

HANNAH CRON

BEST ROCK NEWCOMERS GLOOM GIRL MFG

Don’t be misled by the three-letter suffix in the foursome’s moniker: Nothing about Gloom Girl MFG’s sound feels manufactured. Since forming in late 2020, charismatic frontperson Paige MacKinnon and her colleagues have focused

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

BEST HBCU BREAKOUT, WRITERS’ CHOICE: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ARISTOCRAT OF BANDS

the 23-minute record. Super Snooper might be the most fun album Nashville has given the greater punk world.

P.J. KINZER

mostly on hitting the local small-venue scene hard and buckling down in the practice room. There they tirelessly fine-tune their fast-growing repertoire of punk-glam originals that are equal parts T-Rex and Sleater-Kinney. With the release of their EP Factory, some touring, and a highly quotable seal of approval from the estimable Mike “Grimey” Grimes — “Nashville needs this band” — under its belt, the smart bet is on the group transcending local-fave status in the year to come.

CHARLIE ZAILLIAN

BEST ROCK DEBUT ANNIE DIRUSSO, GOD, I HATE THIS PLACE

Indie rocker Annie DiRusso challenges unrealistic male-centric notions of beauty and more with a mix of defiance, humor and vulnerability on her daring debut EP God, I Hate This Place. Against a background of distorted guitars, the five songs loosely chronicle a psychologically abusive relationship DiRusso was in and the ensuing breakup. In many ways, the EP is her personal declaration of independence, saying things throughout the record she is afraid to say out loud. It also serves notice that DiRusso is a young artist with great potential.

DARYL SANDERS

BEST SURPRISE ROCK ALBUM ROBIN EATON, MEMORIES OF A MISSPENT YOUTH

Robin Eaton has been a fixture on the Nashville pop and rock scene for more than three

decades as a successful producer, songwriter and studio owner, but in all that time, he had never released an album under his own name. That is, until earlier this year when he dropped Memories of a Misspent Youth. Eaton shines as the primary writer, vocalist and guitarist on the 11 tracks that encompass a range of rock styles, from ringing folk-rock to harder-edged and more progressive arrangements. Lyrically, the record is a navigation into past loves and past highs and lows filled with “too many drugs and too much sex” that deftly reflects the inherent humor and sadness through the lens of 20/20 hindsight.

DARYL SANDERS

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ROCK ALBUM ROBYN HITCHCOCK, LIFE AFTER INFINITY

How did Robyn Hitchcock follow up 2022’s Shufflemania!, one of the best albums of his career? By releasing his first album of instrumentals. Life After Infinity is an inspired collection that brings Hitchcock’s talents as a melodist and instrumentalist into the spotlight. With co-producer Charlie Francis providing accompaniment on bass and percussion, Hitchcock plays a variety of instruments on the 11 compositions that range from the traditional pop of “Mr. Ringerson’s Picnic” and the rootsy rock of “Tubby Among the Nightingales” to the atmospheric “Plesiosaurs in the Desert” and the sonically experimental “Veronica’s Chapel.”

DARYL SANDERS

PUNK ALBUM SNOOPER, SUPER SNOOPER

BEST

My favorite review of much-loved punk troupe Snooper’s debut LP Super Snooper is from Kerrang!, which proposed that it might be “a lowkey concept album about working out.” It’s an easy assumption to make, if the first thing you notice is a band in nylon track suits with song titles like “Fitness” (whose corresponding music video revolves around a track meet), “Stretching” and “Running.” Snooper’s hyperactive staccato mania is a callback to the spirit of primitive, angular art rock, but with snappy hooks and keen lyricism. Short songs, witty lyrics, choppy guitars and bouncy beats define the sound of

BEST

PUNK 7-INCH STEF AND THE SLEEVEENS, ‘GIVE MY REGARDS TO THE DANCING GIRLS’ B/W ‘SMALL TALK WITH JONATHAN’

In July, The Sleeveens — who removed “Stef and” from their name prior to their September LP Hospital Verses — dropped a flawless punk single in the spirit of the great collectible artyfacts of the late ’70s. Dubliner-turned-Tennessean Stef Murphy writes tunes that burrow their way into your dome, with razor-sharp lyrics to boot. The A-side is a power-pop earworm, backed with a flipside that retells to the awkward encounters we’ve all shared when turning up at a show too early. The single is a family affair of sorts, recorded at bassist Jamie Mechan’s 302 Sound and released by drummer Ryan Sweeney’s Sweet Time Records.

P.J. KINZER

BEST PUNK SPLIT RELEASE SOOT AND WAXED, IDLEWILD

Any local punk worth their salt has definitely caught Soot or Waxed at a hardcore show in the past eight-ish years. Despite longtime participation in the local thrash-metal scene, both groups only just released their first albums in 2022: Soot’s Talons of Empathy and Waxed’s Give Up. As a follow-up, the two groups journeyed together to a farm in Kentucky and spent the weekend re-

cording their four-song split. Featuring an Uncle Kracker cover and three new originals, the release is 15 minutes of gleeful and ripping energy that damn near capture the excitement and fury of their live performances.

ML MEADORS

BEST HARDCORE ALBUM G.U.N., G.U.N.

G.U.N.’s frenetic first album was recorded four years ago, but didn’t hit shelves until this summer. Since the group previously released a highly praised demo and a raging live cassette, there was already a lot of anticipation. But the LP, brought to you by Raleigh, N.C.’s mighty Sorry State Records, is even better than fans expected: It’s an ode to the first wave of American hardcore, without sounding like a facsimile. Crafting a style all their own, G.U.N. still scrapes the same raw nerves as their predecessors.

P.J. KINZER

BEST COUNTRY LIVING LEGEND TANYA TUCKER

It’s always sweet seeing someone like Tanya Tucker finally get her due. In June, she followed up her impressive Grammy-winning 2019 comeback While I’m Livin’ with Sweet Western Sound, which reunited her with co-producers and co-writers Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings. In April, she was finally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame — fittingly, an occasion for which she rode her horse down Broadway. Tucker told the Associated Press

BEST ROCK NEWCOMERS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: GLOOM GIRL MFG

PHOTO: LANCE CONZETT

JAMES

OLIVIA RODRIGO

ONE OF THE MOST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUMS OF THE YEAR GUTS featuring “vampire”

“... a songwriter of rather astonishing purity”

“Masterpiece” “Instant Classic”

“... a voice that’s here to stay and a songwriter built to last”

“... the most complete pop album of the year”

vampire “brilliant, biting”

“... proves her place in pop music’s upper echelon”

vampire “Best New Track”

after the announcement that she had figured she’d get into the CMHOF “when I was dead or something. And I kinda quit thinking about it, or wanting it.” It’s lovely to know she doesn’t have to worry about that now.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST COUNTRY BREAKOUT JELLY ROLL

I was sitting in beach traffic when I heard a familiar voice bellowing from a lane-splitting biker’s boom box. It was “Son of a Sinner” by Antioch’s own Jason DeFord, better known as Jelly Roll, from his 2021 LP Ballads of the Broken. Then I heard it again and again, at every beach bar with a hog out front. We’re talking Skynyrd-level saturation of the biker scene by the seashore. More than any awards (that includes three CMT Awards, and potentially five more at November’s CMA Awards) or chart positions (his June LP Whitsitt Chapel hit the top three of Billboard’s Rock, Country and all-genre 200 charts), Jelly’s entry into the summer cruisin’ canon proves that his hardscrabble music has crossed over from local-hustler status to pop-culture touchstone in a big way. SEAN L.

MALONEY

BEST BENEFIT CONCERT, WRITERS’ CHOICE:

LOVE RISING: LET FREEDOM SING (AND DANCE)

BEST COUNTRY SINGER WILLIE JONES

Willie Jones shows himself exceptionally adept at producing earworms on his second LP, Something to Dance To, an album that lives up to the promise of its name. Hailing from Shreveport, La., Jones went viral as a teenager for his 2012 X Factor audition in which he sang Josh Turner’s “Your Man,” a classic pick for singing-show contestants. Now he’s shining in his confident sound that fuses country, R&B, hip-hop and zydeco. As a Black artist in a genre that often doesn’t give Black artists an equal platform, Jones claims space as an innovator who also faithfully honors the long legacy of Black country musicians.

JACQUELINE ZEISLOFT

BEST

BENEFIT CONCERT

LOVE RISING: LET FREEDOM SING (AND DANCE)

After the Tennessee state legislature passed new laws targeting gender-affirming care and drag performances, Nashville artists and activists and allies from elsewhere quickly responded by producing events to benefit organizations supporting the LGBTQ community. On March 20, drag queens and an array of musicians — Hayley Williams, Becca Mancari, Amanda Shires,

Jason Isbell, Maren Morris, Joy Oladokun, Izzy Heltai, Jake Wesley Rogers, Autumn Nicholas, Mya Byrne, Adeem the Artist and many, many more — performed together in the nearly four-hour Love Rising concert at Bridgestone Arena. Organized by Allison Russell (who also performed at the show) in partnership with the Looking Out Foundation and others, Love Rising offered Nashvillians musicians a vital space to celebrate and fight for queer visibility in Tennessee

JACQUELINE ZEISLOFT

BEST MUSICAL ACTIVISTS BLACK OPRY

Despite Black artists’ major contributions to country music and other traditions that get rolled into Americana, they’ve consistently been ignored if not outright abused. The Black Opry organization has been working very hard to build community and visibility and advocate for Black musicians and fans in country, roots, Americana, folk and beyond. Holly G founded the group in 2021, quickly expanding it with touring showcase The Black Opry Revue. This year, the organization established a new home base in Nashville. While continuing the organization’s previous efforts at the same intense pace, Holly G, Tanner Davenport and their crew co-organized LGBTQ rights benefit We Will Always Be and gun-reform advocacy benefit Together in Action, as well as launching a new intersectional organization called Country Any Way.

KAHWIT TELA

BEST DRAG BAN PROTEST BOYGENIUS

Following Tennessee legislation aimed at restricting drag performances in the spring, many touring artists, like Yo La Tengo and Idles, used their Tennesee shows to protest the law and celebrate drag. But when boygenius’ crew appeared in skirts as they prepped the stage for the band during June’s stop at the touring Re:SET Festival, it was the start of one of the most fabulous protests from folks outside the actual drag community. The trio of Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers hit the stage in full and exceptionally fancy drag, introducing themselves as Lucille Balls, Shanita Tums and Queef Urban, respectively. Maybe it was because all three are part of the LGBTQ community, but this show of solidarity felt earnest in a way that shone above the rest.

HANNAH CRON

BEST UNDERSUNG MUSIC VENUE BOBBY NASHVILLE ROOFTOP

It’s just three blocks north of Broadway, and 10 stories up, but the rooftop of the Bobby Nashville hotel feels worlds away from the neon-lit bars where you might hear “Watermelon Sugar” or “Tennessee Whiskey” multiple times in one evening. The rooftop of the hotel — yes, the one that has seating inside a 1956 bus — has quietly been building an impressive lineup of singer-songwriters, indie musicians and others who are playing music you’re not hearing on Lower Broad. Acts for the 2023 Backyard Sessions

series included Baby Rose, Jill Andrews and Bailey Bryan. Admission is free, the audience is 21 and older, and the vibe is pure Music City.

MARGARET LITTMAN

BEST BLUES VENUE PAPA TURNEY’S BBQ AND MISS ZEKE’S JUKE JOINT

While Music City residents can hear the blues nightly at one location or another, for anyone seeking quality musical consistency, a mix of local, regional and occasional national talent and great barbecue, the place to be is Papa Turney’s BBQ and Miss Zeke’s Juke Joint. Founded 10 years ago by Mike “Papa” Turney, it evolved from a food truck into a brick-andmortar combination restaurant and venue, and it’s been at the Marina at Nashville Shores on Percy Priest Lake for the past six years. Turney’s goal was and remains creating an environment modeled on classic juke joints. That’s especially reflected in the Wednesday and Saturday night jam sessions, which are hosted either by individuals or groups. As evidence of the high respect Turney enjoys in both the local and national blues scenes, his place hosted legendary Grammy-winning blues performer Bobby Rush in September. But most of the time, you will hear the best in local and regional blues talent giving their all in the jam sessions; you might even see Turney joining in the proceedings as well.

RON WYNN

BEST VENUE FOR MASSIVE MUSIC MOMENTS NISSAN STADIUM

On April 26, the Metro Council approved $2.1 billion in financing to replace the 24-year-old Nissan Stadium. Just nine days later, that dilapidated old thing became the cultural epicenter of the city as approximately 212,000 people attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour over the course of three nights. In July, Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour drew another 50,000-plus fans. Since the stadium is so outdated that it doesn’t even have a roof, hundreds more fans gathered nearby to soak in the music from outside. Nissan Stadium’s final concert date will probably go to a country star, but this summer’s shows felt like a strange, poignant sendoff to the venue.

COLE VILLENA

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY SHOW SERIES PULLED FROM THE SKY

In the wake of pandemic lockdown, it’s heartening to see a renewal of energy in building communities for experimental, experiential music. Pulled From the Sky, an occasional event series spearheaded by Louisiana-born musician Caleb Breaux (who records and performs as Brainweight), aims to be a space for musicians who don’t necessarily always do improvisational music to explore that realm with an audience. That might mean performances on drums and hammer dulcimer (sometimes simultaneously), electronic wind instruments and modular synthesizers all on the same evening — with a crowd that’s deeply supportive and appreciative.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST COUNTRY SINGER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: WILLIE JONES

THE ROLLING ST NES

“THEIR BEST SONG IN DECADES” - INEWS

“I’VE HEARD ‘HACKNEY DIAMONDS’. IT’S THE BEST ROLLING STONES ALBUM SINCE 1978” - THE TIMES

THE NEW SINGLE ANGRY FROM THE NEW ALBUM ‘HACKNEY DIAMONDS’

BEST HISTORICAL HIP-HOP CELEBRATION THIS IS HIP-HOP AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Bronx back-to-school party where DJ Kool Herc debuted his never-before-heard break-based DJ style, ushering in one of the most dominant forms of popular music in American history. The National Museum of African American Music celebrated with a yearlong series of rotating exhibits, giving space to four artists and photographers showcasing different regions and eras of hip-hop. What makes NMAAM’s This Is Hip-Hop different from other celebrations is the choice to focus on people who worked in the scene, finding their own voices within hip-hop, like photographers Raymond Boyd (who captured early shots of Ice T in Chicago) and Traci Bartlow (who was on the ground floor of the ’90s Bay Area revolution). Rather than filling their gallery with memorabilia, NMAAM put visitors into the individual perspectives of the people who experienced hip-hop on the come-up.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST HISTORICAL COUNTRY CELEBRATION

WESTERN

EDGE

AT THE COUNTRY

MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM

If I had a time machine, I’d head to mid-’60s Los Angeles, where I’d zip around taking in then-burgeoning acts like The Byrds and Linda Ronstadt at storied venues including the Troubadour and the Ash Grove. Thankfully, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has the next-best thing — no DeLorean required — in its Western Edge exhibition, a thorough, vibrant exploration of the country-rock scene that sprang out of Los Angeles during that early ’60s heyday and continued into the late ’80s. Artifacts include instruments belonging to Rick Nelson and Dave Alvin, as well as Flying Burrito Brother Chris Ethridge’s once-lost Nudie Suit.

BRITTNEY McKENNA

BEST HISTORICAL PROTESTMUSIC

PERFORMANCE

PORTARA ENSEMBLE, DANGEROUS: THE SOUNDTRACK OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

Behind virtually every protest movement is a powerful protest song. And in May, Portara Ensemble put together a fabulous concert that celebrated music as a time-honored method of

resistance. The program included everything from familiar spirituals to more contemporary works by Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye and Janelle Monáe. There were even international anthems, including the Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao” and the Iranian protest song “Baraye.” Add in big performances from Odessa Settles, Devon Gilfillian and Saro Lynch-Thomason — plus the opportunity to hear from key community partners — and we all walked away feeling a bit more dangerous. AMY

STUMPFL

BEST SINGLE BY A NASHVILLE EXPAT

LIZA ANNE, ‘CHEERLEADER’

Chic, electric! Liza Anne’s flirty single “Cheerleader” petitions a potential love interest with pep and power. The fun and funky track, coming ahead of their new LP Utopian, shines in a star-studded music vid featuring a squad of locals that includes Annie DiRusso, Becca Mancari and WNXP’s Emily Young. The video was even filmed at Harpeth High School in Kingston Springs; though Liza Anne has left us for New York, we’ll always be their cheerleaders.

HANNAH CRON

BEST FOLK ALBUM

PETER ONE, COME BACK TO ME

Peter One’s Come Back to Me combines airy grooves with the veteran folk-rock singer’s subtle vocal style, and the result is an album that stands with classic ’60s and ’70s albums by, say, Simon & Garfunkel and Don Williams. Peter One was born in Ivory Coast in 1956 and moved to Nashville in 1995 after a successful career in the West African music scene. Come Back to Me sports an ensemble of Nashville and Memphis musicians who play impeccably. It’s an album of understated elegance and hard-won insights into the human condition. EDD HURT

BEST POP ALBUM SAMIA, HONEY

The cover of pop artist Samia’s LP Honey calls to mind the cover of Joni Mitchell’s timeless Blue; both depict their artists shaded in a deep hue with a raw, all-knowing expression. On this con-

fident self-portrait of a record, Samia takes risks, the most significant being choosing vulnerability over icy coolness (just as Joni would). In her stream-of-consciousness lyrics, Samia confesses her desires and screams her sadness and joys. Her strength is her fearlessness, as she writes about “percolatin,’ breathin,’ dancin,’ dyin’” in her late 20s.

JACQUELINE ZEISLOFT

BEST POWER-POP ALBUM BRENDAN BENSON, LOW KEY

Low Key finds Brendan Benson in a semi-serious mood of self-reflection. It’s not a concept album per se, but it feels like one, with its interwoven themes of lost love, isolation and regret. With the exception of the horn arrangement and horns on “Whole Lotta Nothin,” Benson arranged and performed nearly all the parts on the album, and also wrote all but two of the songs. His cover of South African rapper Nasty C’s “All In” may best illustrate why Benson is Nashville’s reigning king of power pop. He masterfully turns the rap anthem into a power-pop tour de force that underscores the album’s underlying message of hopeful perseverance.

DARYL SANDERS

BEST JAZZ ALBUM SOFIA GOODMAN GROUP, SECRETS OF THE SHORE

Tumult and serenity, joy and gloom — the Sofia Goodman Group manages to capture the many moods of the sea on this year’s best

local jazz release. With drummer-composer Sofia Goodman leading the band, Secrets is panoramic in scope, deep in tone and sandy enough around the soft parts to give a bit of grit. Built around compositions that let soloists surf waves of tuneful, progressive percussion — think Nick Mason and Flora Purim — Secrets has the classic chops and contemporary vibe that make living in a landlocked state just a little easier.

SEAN L. MALONEY

BEST AFROBEAT ENSEMBLE AFROKOKOROOT

We can’t really convey the joy we felt when we first heard that The 5 Spot in East Nashville was hosting Afrobeat nights this past winter and spring. It was epic: evidence that our little music scene can be as cosmopolitan as it hopes. We were elated when Afrokokoroot ended up being not just our biggest resident Afrobeat band but an excellent Afrobeat beat, bringing all the energy and excitement of late-night Lagos to Five Points and beyond. Afrokokoroot’s fiery horn arrangements and full-throttle percussion are a worldly blast of beauty, and Music City is richer for it.

SEAN L. MALONEY

BEST METAL BAND KNOLL

It’s been a landmark year for Knoll, a sonically disturbing six-piece death squad. After dropping their demo five years ago as Memphis high-schoolers, the band moved their base of operations to Middle Tennessee. Their avantgarde approach to the heaviest of music is terrifying and expansive — death-metal riffing and turbulent blast beats with distorted electronic chaos and skronky free-jazz horns. Building on their two brilliant LPs, 2021’s Interstice and 2022’s Metemperic, the band spent 2023 building a following with the local underground, as well as sweeping the country with D.C. death-grinders

No/Más and Rust Belt hardcore kings Negative Approach — and they just announced their first U.K./European tour for November.

P.J. KINZER

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY NEWCOMERS CRYSTAL EGG

Of all the rookie rockers playing Nashville in the ’23 season, Crystal Egg might be the most difficult to classify. The bohemian vocals-drums-synthesizers trio doesn’t really have direct peers, past or present. Their first gig this spring was at

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BEST FOLK ALBUM, WRITERS’ CHOICE: PETER ONE, COME BACK TO ME

the East Side art collective Soft Junk, opening for Snooper. It was a fitting spot, as the Egg feels spiritually hatched from the art-gallery legacy of the ’60s Downtown Manhattan fringe and the New York no wave scene 20 years later — atonal, poetic, dreamlike, primordial and lawless. All I know is that you need to put their next show on your calendar.

P.J. KINZER

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY BREAKOUT RICH RUTH

Every year, musicians from Nashville across a wide variety of disciplines get well-known far beyond the city limits. Not often is it that those who get recognized are making instrumental music built on traditions from jazz and electronic composition. Rich Ruth and his merry band have been all over the U.S. and elsewhere in the past year, including supporting artists like All Them Witches and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, and blowing away festival audiences at Bonnaroo and Big Ears among others. Their groove-centric brand of music encourages you to be present for it, and that’s resonating with a lot of people whose tastes don’t always intersect.

’n’ roll doesn’t have to be “authentic” to be great. DiMenna moved to Nashville in 2016 after creating a cabaret-style tribute to ’60s folk-rock singer Judy Henske, Queen of the Beatniks: The Songs of Judy Henske, which she expertly brought to life in venues in and around the New York City area. DiMenna formed Broken Champion in 2017 with guitarist Emil Halas, whose understated playing powers their theatrical — but very rocking — live shows. DiMenna & Co. take “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” away from Bob Seger and do justice to Henske and Jerry Yester’s 1969 psychfolk tune “Snowblind,” and their own songs are ace. They’re reportedly working in Nashville on a full-length, which promises to feature their original material.

EDD HURT

BEST DJ AFROSHEEN

If you’ve wanted to go to the coolest parties in Nashville in 2023 — the ones that are the most

inclusive and actually fun — all you’ve had to do is keep an eye on Afrosheen’s Instagram profile to see where she’s spinning. From The Blue Room’s monthly R&B dance party Baby that she launched with John Stamps, to guest appearances at NashFeels (and as a guest on WXNA’s Soul of the City), to dozens of other events embracing and supporting Black, brown and LGBTQ communities, it feels like Afrosheen is everywhere, keeping the beat fresh and the dance floor hot.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST DANCE PARTY NASHFEELS

The brainchild of Stephen Thomas and 2 L’s on a Cloud founder and sometime Scene contributor D’Llisha Davis, the Nashfeels party has been packing out Brooklyn Bowl all year, and we couldn’t be prouder. Nashfeels takes their R&B and hip-hop very seriously, which makes their parties a seriously fun mix of nostalgia and pro-

gression, old-school classics and of-the-moment sounds like South African amapiano. Be warned though: These parties are some of the hottest tickets of the year and sell out quicker than a GOP politician at a gun lobby meet-and-greet.

SEAN L. MALONEY

BEST FESTIVAL SET PARAMORE AT BONNAROO

Every time Paramore plays a hometown show, they seem to pull out all the stops — or maybe they’re just that good all the time. The band’s set at this year’s Bonnaroo was a prime argument for their standing as the best rock band working today. They seemingly have it all: slick instrumentation, tight production, killer live set lists celebrating their hits and fan-favorite deep cuts, and the undeniable powerhouse of Hayley Williams’ vocals. Highlights of their sunset Bonnaroo party on June 18 included a “Rose-Colored Boy”

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMER PROTEINS OF MAGIC

You don’t have to have sophisticated gear to tell a powerful story in a song. But plenty of Nashville musicians are adept at harnessing technology, and Proteins of Magic’s Kelly Sherrod stands tall among them. This year, the New Zealand-born songsmith has played around Nashville and internationally, bringing her emotionally intense songs to life with layers of performances — on keys, flute, electric bass and acoustic guitar and with her deep, rich voice, all recorded into loops and manipulated in real time — plus projected animation she controls with a pedal. Even with the potential for the tech to become the star of the show, Sherrod’s songs always have the spotlight.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

BEST CABARET BAND BROKEN CHAMPION

Watching Meredith DiMenna perform onstage with Broken Champion reminds you that rock

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY NEWCOMERS, WRITERS’ CHOICE: CRYSTAL EGG

BEST FESTIVAL SET, WRITERS’ CHOICE: PARAMORE AT BONNAROO

BEST MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMER, WRITERS’ CHOICE: PROTEINS OF MAGIC

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

PHOTO: H.N. JAMES

PHOTO: ROB HINKAL

sing-along and a stunning performance of the band’s 2009 banger “All I Wanted.” This is why you should leave your house!

BEST FESTIVAL FAR OUT 666

HANNAH CRON

It’s been a few years since Far Out Fest last graced The East Room’s stage. In 2020, when the world shut down, Far Out carried on with a virtual edition of its psychedelia-themed music, art and film festival. Their late-night public-access fever dream was such a success that they ran it again back in 2021. Three years after pivoting to virtual reality (including a one-year hiatus), cofounder Bunny Ames brought Far Out back to its Before Times freaky glory, taking the best parts of the fest’s long history and dragging them into the physical world. You know — like Videodrome, except a little less gooey.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST MUSIC ZINE INOXIA VOL. 2

May 2021 was a precarious time for the DIY music scene: The pandemic was waning, but there were no guarantees that the music scene was going to bounce back to its 2019 glory. People had moved on, found new hobbies, grown out of the scene. With Inoxia Vol. 2, editor Megan Loveless — who’s also co-founder of To-Go Records and is The Blue Room’s talent buyer, and who worked with a cadre of volunteer writers and photographers for this magazine — captured a rebuilding period in the DIY scene, as local artists like Snooper, $avvy and Bats attempted to find their footing post-lockdown. Lovingly designed by Third Man Records designer Sarah Goldstein, Inoxia is a worthy time capsule for the local scene.

LANCE CONZETT

BEST REUNION DIARRHEA PLANET AT THE RYMAN

If you had told me 15 years ago that the “Ghost With a Boner” band would headline the Ryman someday, I never would’ve believed you. And yet in June, Diarrhea Planet made its triumphant return to two big stages: a late-night tent show at Bonnaroo, for which they warmed up with a blowout at the hallowed halls of the Ryman. DP playing the Mother Church wasn’t just a fun hang, it was a watershed moment for local punk — the first time a band from the underground clawed its way onto the most venerated historic stage in town as a headliner and shook it to the ground. Long live Diarrhea Planet!

LANCE CONZETT

BEST COMEBACK ALBUM BE YOUR OWN PET, MOMMY

There is always a fear that when a band hits their official “mature” release that it’s code for “boring.” The punk sensations of Be Your Own Pet called it quits in 2008 after two albums, while they were still in their early 20s. They followed up a successful return to the stage last year with Mommy, released in August. While the lyrics reflect the shifts in the members’ lives, the BYOP crew never shies away from the kind of ferociousness that made them great in the first

place. The whip-smart lyrics and nasty guitar riffs are still as untamed as ever.

BEST ROCK REISSUE THE CONTENDERS, THE CONTENDERS

In the mid-’70s, The Contenders — Tommy Goldsmith, Champ Hood, Walter Hyatt, Steve Runkle and Jimbeau Walsh — rose to the top of the Nashville rock scene with a captivating mix of good songs, tight musicianship and soulful vocal harmonies. But the band broke up after a couple of years, leaving behind just a single eponymous LP from 1978. Long out of print, that important slice of the city’s rock history was essentially lost until July, when Southern Moon Records reissued The Contenders on CD and to all the major digital platforms. The reissue was remixed and remastered and includes a bonus track not included on the original LP, as well as informative liner notes by Goldsmith.

BEST LOCAL-ROCK EXCAVATION THE FEATURES, THE MAHAFFEY SESSIONS 1999

DARYL SANDERS

Show me a devotee of local indie rock in the mid-2000s, and I’ll show you someone who probably had a folder on their computer called “Bootleg Features Songs.” For nearly 25 years, The Features’ 1999 sessions with Self honcho and Spongebath Records key figure Matt Mahaffey were a critical part of the band’s lore — an unreleased batch of songs that everyone still somehow knew backward and forward. It wasn’t until this year that the mythical Mahaffey Sessions found their way out of 192k MP3s and onto turntables thanks to YK Records. It’s a perfect time capsule, and living proof that The Features were one of the best bands to come out of the local scene.

LANCE CONZETT

P.J. KINZER

OCTOBER 25

CHRIS TUCKER

OCTOBER 25

BRANDY CLARK WITH SISTASTRINGS

OCTOBER 29

STEVE HACKETT GENESIS REVISITED

OCTOBER 29

DISNEY JUNIOR LIVE ON TOUR: COSTUME PALOOZA AT THE OPRY HOUSE

OCTOBER 30

CHRIS ISAAK

NOVEMBER 8

LUKAS NELSON + POTR

NOVEMBER 11

WARD DAVIS WITH JOSH MELOY AND CLINT PARK

NOVEMBER 19

JOHN CLEESE AT THE OPRY HOUSE

FEBRUARY 23

SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS

FEBRUARY 24

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD WITH SAMANTHA FISH AND JESSE DAYTON

DECEMBER 1 & 2

THE MAVERICKS WITH HOGSLOP STRINGBAND (12/1) AND MAGGIE ROSE (12/2)

DECEMBER 9

LEANN RIMES JOY: THE HOLIDAY TOUR

JANUARY 28

FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS AT THE OPRY HOUSE

FEBRUARY 16 & 17

CLINT BLACK

KILLIN’ TIME 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM

MARCH 12

TESLA

MARCH 23

MUSCADINE BLOODLINE ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM

MARCH 29

A.J. CROCE PRESENTS CROCE PLAYS CROCE

JUNE 2

JACOB COLLIER AT THE OPRY HOUSE ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM

FRIDAY, 10/13

MUSIC

[THE HILLS ARE ALIVE …] THE

SOUND OF (BLACK) MUSIC

You may think you know The Sound of Music inside and out, but Electric Root has conjured a decidedly fresh take on this familiar classic, electing to explore the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical through “a utopian, Afrofuturistic lens full of love.” Blending elements of gospel, jazz, blues, funk, soul and Afrobeat, The Sound of (Black) Music revisits old favorites such as “Edelweiss,” “Do-Re-Mi” and “Climb Every Mountain” with a renewed sense of energy and joy. The program, which first premiered in the summer of 2021 at the acclaimed Bard SummerScape arts festival, arrives at TPAC’s Polk Theater Friday night. Audiences can look forward to a true celebration of Black roots music, featuring incredible vocalists and a stellar band featuring artists like Vuyo Sotashe, Brianna Thomas, Charenee Wade and Zhanna Reed. AMY STUMPFL

THURSDAY, 10/12

[BLESS YOUR HEART]

COMEDY

SUPPER FOR DINNER: A NASHVILLE REVUE

The hottest new comedy show in town comes to us from writers and performers Brooks Alford and Jamie Bradley. I’m friends with them, but I dare you to watch their hyperlocal sketch comedy set and still accuse me of bias for recommending it. Their *so Nashville* characters left me wheezing, and the duo is clicking with a few performances already under their belts since their June debut. If you can’t make it or the show sells out as previous nights have, don’t worry. The duo has additional dates on the books in November and December.

STEPHEN ELLIOTT

7 P.M. AT THIRD COAST COMEDY CLUB

1310 CLINTON ST.

[BABY-MAKING MUSIC]

MUSIC

BIRTH W/JACK SILVERMAN

Long-running Ohio trio Birth brings its dub-skronk jazz deconstructions to Vinyl Tap Thursday. 2019’s Almost Never, the band’s latest

album, explores the outer edges of improvisatory music, absorbing and mutating riffs and grooves in a musical vivisection of the 20th century’s best ideas stitched together with punk abandon and prog precision. It can be a lot. But in the best way. It can also be very little, when the ebb and flow of the instrumentation saves space for listening. Birth’s creative chemistry is powerful. The unified vibe that drummer Joe Tomino, sax player Joshua Smith and bassist Jeremy Bleich create moves with such fluidity that clumsy things like genre names don’t really stick. Birth slides through a songspace that can accommodate Zorn-like dissonance and the “real rock” melodicism of Sound Dimension. Local guitar-improv scene maker (and Nashville Scene contributing editor) Jack Silverman will join the band for a few tunes. SEAN L. MALONEY

9 P.M. AT VINYL TAP 2038 GREENWOOD AVE.

FILM [PROMISED LAND]

INTERNATIONAL LENS: JOYLAND

Anyone who takes in all two hours and seven minutes of Joyland will eventually learn how bitterly ironic that title is. For his 2022 feature film debut, co-writer/director Saim Sadiq

expands the story he began with his 2019 short “Darling.” Trans actress Alina Khan returns to play a dancer longing for respect and affection while working at a Bollywood-esque, Pakistanbased theater. She gets a fan/backup dancer in Haider (Ali Junejo), a meek married man looking for a job so his hella-conservative fam will get off his back. You can expect some fiery chemistry between these two, but don’t think this tale of on-the-DL desire will end on a rosy, liberating note. To say things don’t turn out well for the principal players (and that includes Rasti Farooq as Haider’s independent-woman wife) would be putting it mildly. Sadiq never lets you forget that Pakistan is still a land of patriarchal oppression, and those who seek to be free — whether sexually or individually — usually end up getting their wings clipped. Calynn Dowler, assistant professor of religious studies at Vanderbilt University, will introduce the film as part of the school’s International Lens series.

CRAIG D. LINDSEY

7:30 P.M.

THURSDAY AT VANDERBILT’S SARRATT CINEMA

2301 VANDERBILT PLACE

[ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?] 2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER WATCH PARTY

It seems so early to be thinking about a World Cup that’s still three years away, but with the planet’s biggest sporting event set to take place across Mexico, Canada and the United States in 2026, there’s already electricity in the air. The members of the South American Football Confederation (known as CONMEBOL) will be facing off for the third (of only six) international matchdays in 2023. A pair of CONMEBOL’s key matchups will be broadcast on the big screen at Plaza Mariachi so fans can gather and watch together. The 4:30 p.m. pairing of Colombia vs. Uruguay is a crucial bout between the No. 16 and No. 17 men’s teams in the world — according to the most recent FIFA rankings — and No. 3 and No. 4 in CONMEBOL. The 7:30 p.m. match will pit the South American top-ranked Brazil (No. 3 in FIFA worldwide) against South America’s No. 5 team, Venezuela. With only the top six South American programs advancing to the ’26 Cup, these two matches will be strong determinants for which nations make the cut. Those less familiar with the international squads can get the chance to see UEFA superstars like Neymar, Rodrygo and Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez play for their home countries. With fans of all four countries expected to be represented at one of the most fun event venues in Nashville, it should be the best place in town to get fired up for the Cup.

P.J. KINZER

4:30 P.M. AT PLAZA MARIACHI

sold out fast, and for a good reason — Isbell and the Ryman are a perfect pair. One hallmark of an Isbell residency is a rock-solid lineup of openers. Last year, a different female Americana artist opened every night, including Isbell’s wife and 400 Unit bandmate Amanda Shires. Shires will play again this year, but each of the other openers is a member of the LGBTQ community, highlighting Isbell’s effort to platform artists from communities often overlooked by mainstream country. You can’t go wrong with any of the options, but highlights include S.G. Goodman, who recently took home the award for Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards, and Autumn Nicholas, who recently joined Isbell for the Together in Action gun violence prevention benefit at City Winery. No matter which night you go, you’ll be in for a great show from one of the best touring performers out there.

HANNAH CRON

OCT. 12-15 & 19-22 AT THE RYMAN

116 FIFTH AVE. N.

FRIDAY, 10/13

[WE

FILM

NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE]

TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR

Look: Seeing Taylor Swift perform in a sold-out stadium and watching a video of it are not the same, even if that video was shot on professional movie cameras and projected on a big screen. But a $20 movie ticket is a whole lot more affordable than the ludicrously expensive prices Ticketmaster charged for Eras Tour tickets, so maybe a video doesn’t sound so bad after all! Following the approach of her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour, which was released on Netflix, Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour was shot during her shows at Southern California’s SoFi Stadium in August. Coming in at a whopping 165 minutes, the film will journey through Swift’s monumental career one era at a time. If it’s even a fraction as exciting as the real-life Eras Tour shows, it’s bound to be a blockbuster. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour hits theaters — when else?

— Oct. 13, and while tickets are sold out at many chain theaters, the Belcourt still has plenty of seats. Tickets for their showings cost $19.89 for adults and $13.13 for kids — because even the folks at the Belcourt can’t resist a good Swiftie reference.

HANNAH CRON

OCT. 13 AT THE BELCOURT

2102 BELCOURT AVE.

[HERE’S TO A WILD RIDE]

THEATER

STREET THEATRE COMPANY: RIDE THE CYCLONE

grants them each an opportunity to compete for the chance to return to life. It’s sure to be a wild ride, taking on a wide range of themes and musical genres. (TikTok users will likely recognize the ethereal sounds of “The Ballad of Jane Doe,” which became a viral sensation in 2022, inspiring a host of memes and fan videos.) Street’s production is directed by Sawyer Wallace (with musical direction by Randy Craft), and the cast includes Isaac Bouldin, Kendall Bryant, Simon Elliott, Will Henke, Maya Kaempf, Bella Mancuso and Tristan Valdez. AMY STUMPFL

OCT. 13-28 AT THE BARBERSHOP THEATER

4003 INDIANA AVE

FILM [MARK YOUR CALENDAR]

FRIDAY THE 13TH

Normally I wouldn’t recommend a screening of Friday the 13th to anyone outside of hardcore horror enthusiasts like myself. Even if the influential slasher movie is far from the best offering in the long-running, convoluted series — the meta sixth entry Jason Lives is my personal top choice — it’s too hard to pass up a showing of the film on an actual Friday the 13th. Luckily, Full Moon Cineplex is offering four different ways to see it on Oct. 13, including a dinner-and-a-movie option, a movie-andhaunt option that grants you entrance into the Slaughter House haunted attraction on site, and an option that includes dinner, movie and haunt. If that’s not enough Voorhees for you, Friday the 13th Part 2 is also showing at 9 p.m.

LOGAN BUTTS

7 P.M. AT FULL MOON CINEPLEX

3445 LEBANON PIKE, HERMITAGE

Red Bull Racing brings its high-octane event to Lower Broadway, featuring the iconic RB7 Formula 1 race car driven by fan favorite and eight-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo. Spectators will have the chance to witness one of the most dominant race cars of all time driven flat-out among the honky-tonks. Burnouts and doughnuts are sure to be abundant, but will the beloved Aussie do his trademark “shoey” celebration with a cowboy boot? The event will also feature a Subaru rally car driven by veteran Red Bull driver Scott Speed, as well as a stunt bike demo with freestyle legend Aaron Colton. Earplugs are encouraged during the free familyfriendly event. JASON VERSTEGEN

NOON ON LOWER BROADWAY

FILM [UFOMANIA] INVASION!: MUPPETS FROM SPACE

Quirkiness is the hallmark of a Muppet movie. It’s what makes them endearing to some and bafflingly absurd to others. Muppets

SATURDAY, 10/14

FEST]

3955 NOLENSVILLE PIKE MUSIC [FALL

JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT

On the heels of his latest album Weathervanes and the re-release of his 2013 classic Southeastern, Jason Isbell is bringing his band back to the Ryman for his annual residency. (Read more on Isbell and Southeastern in this week’s music section.) All eight shows

Dark. Funny. Quirky. Subversive. These are just a few of the words used to describe the 2008 musical Ride the Cyclone. So who better to tackle such a fanciful piece than Nashville’s own Street Theatre Company? Featuring music, lyrics and book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, this dark comedy follows a group of teens from a Canadian high school chamber choir who die in a freak roller-coaster accident. Enter The Amazing Karnak: a mechanical fortune teller who feels responsible for the kids’ deaths and

SPORTS

[BULLS ON PARADE] RED BULL RACING SHOWRUN

Following the success of Netflix’s gripping Drive to Survive series, Formula 1 racing has seen a remarkable breakthrough in popularity across the United States. The pinnacle series of global motorsports features three Grands Prix stateside this season, including a mega-hyped penultimate race in Las Vegas. In anticipation,

From Space is not just quirky though — it is deeply, profoundly weird. The main plot of the film follows Gonzo, the long-nosed blue thing, through an existential crisis and search for the aliens he believes to be his long-lost family. It was the first Muppet movie to eschew the traditional musical format, and it was a boxoffice bomb. Like any Muppet media project, it features a host of celebrity guest stars and cameos. Jeffrey Tambor plays the leader of a topsecret government operation, Andie MacDowell plays a news anchor, and Hulk Hogan cameos in a scene with Rizzo the Rat. Did I mention that this movie is really weird? Regardless, Muppets From Space was my favorite Muppet movie as a child, and it’s probably the reason I need therapy. But I’d imagine there’s nothing quite like seeing a choreographed Muppet alien dance sequence set to “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang on the big screen, so you might as well go see it while you can.

HANNAH CRON

12:20 P.M. AT THE BELCOURT

2102 BELCOURT AVE.

MUSIC [KENTUCKY BLUEBIRD] KEITH WHITLEY TRIBUTE

The greatest country singers have a way of

RED BULL RACING SHOWRUN

transcending schlock — those pesky Nashville pop-country arrangements you might hear on records by Ronnie Milsap and George Jones. Milsap turned the mild yacht rock his producers favored into hits, while Jones soared above the artful goop that Billy Sherrill added to, say, “The Door” and “The Battle.” When you listen to the horny — and perfectly calibrated — vocal the Kentucky-born singer and songwriter Keith Whitley pulls off on the otherwise schlocky 1985 song “Ten Feet Away,” you know you’re in the presence of a master. Whitley, who had a background in bluegrass including a stint singing with Ralph Stanley’s band, cut a series of albums in Nashville in the 1980s including the conceptually perfect 1985 collection L.A. to Miami and 1989’s I Wonder Do You Think of Me. Whitley died in Goodlettsville in May 1989 before I Wonder was released. The posthumously released home recording “Tell Lorrie I Love Her” — about his wife, country star Lorrie Morgan — shows off his effortlessly biting vocal style, which puts him in the pantheon with Jones and Lefty Frizzell. The great singer gets a welldeserved tribute Saturday from a stellar group of musicians including Garth Brooks, Lorrie Morgan, Terri Clark and Whitley and Morgan’s son, Jesse Keith Whitley. Also on hand will be Ashley McBryde, whose new album The Devil I Know combines rock dynamics with juicy narratives that stick to the ribs.

EDD HURT

9:30 P.M. AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY HOUSE

600 OPRY MILLS DRIVE

SUNDAY, 10/15

FILM

[GET OUT THE BLUE-AND-RED GLASSES] INVASION!: IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE IN 3-D

For me, 1954’s It Came From Outer Space, from sci-fi schlockmeister Jack Arnold (Creature From the Black Lagoon), will always be known as the movie that fucked up the family VCR when I was a kid. I begged my mother to rent this movie, since it was in 3D and came with a couple of cardboard glasses. When we got home, I popped the tape in, put on the glasses, and took in all the low-budget, three-dimensional cheesiness. After the movie, I put in an episode of Faerie Tale Theatre, and halfway through, the picture went from color to black-and-white. My parents and I surmised that the 3D effects from Space must’ve made the VCR malfunction. For a couple years before we bought another one, we could only watch VHS tapes in black-and-white. Even though it damaged my fam’s beloved Panasonic player, I caught it years later on the big screen — and it’s still a goofy-ass good time. Check it out this week in glorious 35mm anaglyph 3D!

CRAIG D. LINDSEY OCT. 15 & 17 AT THE BELCOURT 2102 BELCOURT AVE.

[WE LOVE YOU TITANS, WE DO!] TENNESSEE TITANS VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS IN LONDON

As the NFL continues to expand its surprisingly robust venture into Europe, the Tennessee Titans

will make their second trip across the pond in October to take on their onetime Central Division rival and all-time playoff nuisance Baltimore Ravens. The last time the Boys in Two-Toned Blue made the London trek was in 2018, when they lost to the Los Angeles Chargers in Wembley Stadium. This time, the action will take place in a different Premier League haunt — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With it being October and in London, hopefully the Dr. Jekyll version of the Titans shows up so the unsuspecting British fans aren’t subjected to the abysmal Mr. Hyde iteration of Tim Kelly’s offense. Fans tuning in from Nashville will discover the “joy” of watching U.K.-based sporting events, as the game kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Central Time on NFL+. LOGAN BUTTS

8:30 A.M. AT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM

782 HIGH ROAD, LONDON N17 0BX, U.K

MUSIC

[STORIES, SHANTIES & SONG] MALINDA

Known to her fans as just Malinda, Malinda Kathleen Reese is a singer, songwriter and actor with a mission to make community through her art. While drawing from folk, pop and jazz, Malinda combines music and vlogs to create “musical stories” around themes central to her own life. Her original work is a creative exploration of what it is to be a young person in modern society, and Malinda uses indie folk to incite discussion about the things that matter to us. Dubbed a “social media luminary” by The Washington Post, she offers online content ranging from quick conversations to candlelit tunes — including original music videos. Malinda’s It’s All True Tour celebrates the beautiful dualities that life demands we face: fear and hope, worry and wisdom, anger and forgiveness, tragedy and joy. Her autobiographical work shares a struggle with anxiety and with losing her sense of self and offers a loving nod to her Irish folk roots. Her collection of songs allows fans to journey alongside her as she finds home, heart and community in a constantly changing world. Every word, every lyric, every note comes straight from Malinda’s heart ... and it’s all true.

KARIN MATHIS

7:30 P.M. AT CITY WINERY

609 LAFAYETTE ST.

TUESDAY, 10/17

Monroe biopic Blonde, publishing a complete book of his lyrics, releasing a new live album with collaborator Warren Ellis and seeing the release of the feature documentary Mutiny in Heaven: Nick Cave’s Birthday Party (which recently had a run at the Belcourt). This fall tour features Radiohead bassist and film composer Colin Greenwood joining Cave onstage. Greenwood played in the ensemble with Cave and Ellis for their recent Carnage tour and promises to bring a new incarnation to what Cave’s music could be. Fans fortunate enough to have tickets will have the opportunity to attend a sold-out 11:30 a.m. book reading/signing at Parnassus Books before heading to the Mother Church to hear the Renaissance man onstage.

P.J. KINZER

8 P.M. AT THE RYMAN

116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.

WEDNESDAY, 10/18

FILM [23 YEARS OF FILM]

NASHVILLE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Those film-loving mensches at the Nashville Jewish Film Festival have corralled another lineup of engaging films and special-guest filmmakers for the event’s 23rd year. On opening night, producer-director Aviva Kempner will be around to talk about her documentary A Pocketful of Miracles: A Tale of Two Siblings, about the survival of Kempner’s family during the Holocaust. The following night, actor-director Howard Rypp will show Gimpel the Fool Returns to Poland, his modern-day retelling of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s “Gimpel the Fool” story. Things will close out with Matchmaking (aka Israel’s biggest hit of the year), a film about two young ultra-Orthodox singles looking for a match. Those screenings will go down at the Belcourt, while AMC Bellevue 12 and the Gordon Jewish Community Center will screen other selections. If you aren’t able to make it to these screenings, the fest will have four films — Barren, The Goldman Case, Hummus Full Trailer and Love Gets a Room — available to watch virtually. Check nashvillejff.net for details. CRAIG D. LINDSEY OCT. 18 THROUGH NOV. 2 AT THE BELCOURT, AMC BELLEVUE 12 AND THE GORDON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

FILM [B-FILM BONANZA] INVASION!: PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE & MARS ATTACKS!

After he made Ed Wood — the 1994 biopic about the iconic B-movie director (played by Johnny Depp) behind such notoriously craptacular flicks as 1959’s Plan 9 From Outer Space — Tim Burton got the itch to make an anarchic alieninvasion adventure of his own. That’s how Mars Attacks!, his 1996 adaptation of the trading cards Topps dropped in the ’60s, came to be. Released just a few months after Independence Day rocked multiplexes, Burton’s film corralled an all-star cast (Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, etc.) to populate a farcical, funhouse-mirror version of the sci-fi summer blockbuster. While Burton’s flick wasn’t as successful (budgeted at $100 million, it made only $101 million), those camp-loving cinephiles at the Belcourt have included it in their Invasion! series. In fact, the series will wrap up this week with a delightfully dumb double bill of Mars (showing in glorious 35 mm!) and Plan (showing in equally glorious 16 mm!). If you wanna see Mars by itself, it’ll be playing on Saturday at 9:40 p.m. CRAIG D. LINDSEY 7:20 P.M. AT THE BELCOURT 2102 BELCOURT AVE.

MUSIC

[THE NEW WAVE OF BLUES] CHRISTONE ‘KINGFISH’ INGRAM

Few artists can tear up a stage like Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Seriously. A blues guitarist with a knack for howling riffs and crowd-stirring jams, he tore up the so-called Farm at Bonnaroo earlier this year, leading a midday set that was worthy of a midnight slot during the all-hours musical summer camp. Years earlier — when he started making waves around the 2019 release of his debut album Kingfish — Ingram nearly sent the roof soaring off the Ryman with a buzzed-about set inside the hallowed, pew-lined concert hall (opening for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, no less). And those are just two times he’s been on this writer’s radar; imagine how many showgoers coast to coast can share similar stories. This month, this young Mississippi native continues to wave the proverbial torch for one of the South’s most-celebrated six-string traditions with a one-night show

NICK CAVE

MUSIC [RELEASE THE BOOKS]

While some artists alienate fans when they veer from their well-trodden paths, Nick Cave’s habit of cyclically reinventing himself is what keeps his maniac devotees coming back to his seemingly bottomless well of creativity. What makes Cave so relevant in every era is his determination to transform himself constantly, never chasing trends but rather looking for the next mountain to climb. In the year leading up to his new tour, Cave was as prolific as ever — publishing the book Faith, Hope and Carnage, releasing the soundtrack to Netflix’s Marilyn

PHOTO: COLIN HART

CHRISTONE ‘KINGFISH’ INGRAM

inside Brooklyn Bowl Nashville. It’s sure to be something special. MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLER

8 P.M. AT BROOKLYN BOWL

935 THIRD AVE. N.

FESTIVAL [GIVING THANKS] ASIAN HARVEST FESTIVAL

The Mid-Autumn Festival, which celebrates the end of the autumn harvest, is a hugely significant holiday in China, Singapore and other East and Southeast Asian countries. Here in Nashville, API Middle Tennessee is commemorating the holiday with a festival that celebrates the city’s Asian American culture more broadly through music, storytelling and food — including, of course, the beloved mooncakes that are a symbol of the holiday for many. There will be musical performances from Lisa Goe, Ellisa Sun, Tyler Kohrs and Andrei as well as readings from writers Sarong VitKory, Sheba Karim and Malaka Gharib. Tickets get you in for all the food, performances and celebrations, and attendees will also leave with a special booklet of six short written pieces from other AAPI writers from around the city.

COLE VILLENA

6:30 P.M. AT THE FOUNDRY

1419 CLINTON ST.

THURSDAY, 10/19

THEATER

[A NEW SEASON, A NEW THEATER] STUDIO TENN: MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

Grab your blue suede shoes, folks. Studio Tenn opens its much-anticipated 14th season this weekend with Million Dollar Quartet. Inspired by the actual 1956 Sun Studio recording session that brought together burgeoning rock ’n’ roll legends Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, this powerhouse musical features big hits like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Hound Dog” and many more. Director Patrick Cassidy has assembled a really outstanding cast, including the mononymous Cole as Elvis Presley, Christopher J. Essex as Johnny Cash, Jefferson McDonald as Jerry Lee Lewis, Christopher Wren as Carl Perkins and others. Studio Tenn’s founding artistic director Matt Logan is also on board with some fabulous set and costume designs. Of course, ticket holders will also have the opportunity to check out Studio Tenn’s new permanent home: the brand-new Turner Theatre. AMY STUMPFL

OCT. 19-NOV. 5 AT TURNER THEATRE, THE FACTORY AT FRANKLIN

230 FRANKLIN ROAD, FRANKLIN

[WHAT’S FOR DINNER? MEATLOAF!]

FILM

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW SKYCAST

Let’s! Do! The! Time! Warp! … in downtown? For the neon-soaked dance halls filled with Journey covers and the uber-branded celebrity bars selling high-priced light beer, it’s time to scoot over for a few hours — because Frank-N-Furter’s coming to Lower Broadway. A showing of the

shout-at-the-screen occult film

The Rocky Horror Picture Show plays Thursday night at Skydeck, the rooftop event space attached to Fifth + Broadway. As is tradition when Rocky Horror hits a big screen in Music City, the night features a shadowcast performance from longtime local troupe Little Morals (which also performs later in the month at the annual Belcourt Theatre showings). Those unable to catch the spooky season classic at Skydeck can look for tickets to one of the aforementioned Belcourt showings. And don’t forget to dust off your flashiest high heels or bust out a layer of eye-popping lipstick; Skydeck organizers encourage showgoers to embrace Rocky Horror lore with costumes. (And remember to pack an umbrella, you cheapasses!) MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLER

8 P.M. AT SKYDECK AT FIFTH + BROADWAY 5055 BROADWAY

WRITING [SWING, SWING]

THE PORCH’S SWING LAUNCH PARTY

Since it was founded in 2014, The Porch has become an indelible presence in the Nashville literary community. From writing workshops and contests to author events and more, The Porch provides myriad opportunities for folks to build community around the art of storytelling. A new and exciting edition to The Porch’s lineup comes in the form of SWING, “a print magazine with the energy and verve of its home city, where new influences course through the old.” The inaugural issue features 40 submissions that span fiction, nonfiction, poetry and more. You’ll be able to hear from some of those authors at the SWING launch party, plus a musical performance from local songsmith Paul Burch. Those interested in SWING can go to porchtn.org to learn more about the new issue, RSVP for the launch party and turn in submissions for the next edition.

KELSEY BEYELER

5-7:30 P.M. AT ANALOG AT HUTTON HOTEL 1808 WEST END AVE., SECOND FLOOR

SATURDAY, 10/21

FESTIVAL [CENTENNIAL BARK]

NASHVILLE HUMANE ASSOCIATION’S DOG DAY

Nashville is without a doubt blessed with scores of wonderful nonprofits that do difficult, important work, despite not receiving the thanks — and, let’s be honest, the funding — they deserve. Among the longest-running nonprofit organizations in the city is the Nashville Humane Association, which has been sheltering and caring for the city’s neglected furry friends since 1946. On Saturday, the NHA will once again take over Centennial Park for its annual Dog Day, a ticketed event to raise funds for and celebrate Nashville’s four-legged pals. Dog-related activities will include a Doggie Fun Zone with agility demonstrations, costume contests (with categories for kids, canines and groups) and more, and youngsters can enjoy the Kids Zone, featuring an inflatable section and carnival games. Adults can enjoy a 21-plus

UPCOMING SHOWS AT THE MUSEUM’S CMA THEATER

OCTOBER 28

RODNEY CROWELL

OCTOBER 25

PUBLIC RADIO MUSIC DAY WITH MOLLY TUTTLE, PHOEBE HUNT JIM LAUDERDALE & PO’ RAMBLIN’ BOYS AND SURPRISE GUESTS

NOVEMBER 18 IV & THE STRANGE BAND

DECEMBER 8

THE McCRARY KIND OF CHRISTMAS 14TH ANNUAL LIVE CELEBRATION

THE McCRARY SISTERS, BUDDY MILLER, EMMYLOU HARRIS, MARGO PRICE, ETTA & BOB BRITT, TRAVIS LOGAN UNITY

DANNY & MABLE FLOWERS, BIZZ AND MANY MORE!

NOVEMBER 7 CHRISTOPHER CROSS

NOVEMBER 8 A MUSICAL CONVERSATION WITH VALERIE JUNE, RACHAEL DAVIS, THAO, & YASMIN WILLIAMS

DECEMBER 5 and 6

GIRL NAMED TOM ONE MORE CHRISTMAS TOUR

DECEMBER 20

DARREN CRISS A VERY DARREN CRISSMAS

DECEMBER 21

MARCH 5

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Museum members receive exclusive pre-sale opportunities for CMA Theater concerts. Learn more at CountryMusicHallofFame.org/Membership.

Beverage Garden as well as performances from David DePaul and San Rafael Band. Naturally, attendees can also meet adoptable shelter dogs. (Good luck leaving Centennial without a squad of about nine new little buddies.) Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 day of, and beverage bundles are available via nashvillehumane.org.

10

[ANNUAL CELEBRATION]

a solo artist, most recently I’ve Got You Covered in 2020. But Moten won’t be the only featured guest: The Pat Coil trio featuring Bob Sheppard and the Nashville Jazz Youth Ensemble small group are also among the evening’s attractions. It’s a time to acknowledge and highlight the workshop’s continuing successes with the expansion of classes and the ongoing recognition of the Jazz Cave as one of the city’s premier locales to hear top-caliber local, regional and national jazz performers. RON WYNN

6 P.M. AT THE FACTORY AT FRANKLIN

JAZZMANIA FEAT. WENDY MOTEN & THE PAT COIL TRIO WITH BOB SHEPPARD

MUSIC

This year’s annual Jazzmania gala from the Nashville Jazz Workshop has a very special flavor. For one, it is now once again a live event, having moved on from the virtual-only celebrations mandated by the pandemic. Secondly, one of the city’s most versatile and outstanding vocalists will be featured. Wendy Moten often cites Soul Train and The Grand Ole Opry as her main two influences and inspirations, and she continues to delight audiences with her appearances in different settings and venues. While many folks know her for her regular appearances with the Western swing band The Time Jumpers, she’s also toured with Vince Gill, as well as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Martina McBride. For fans of NBC’s The Voice, Moten finished as runner-up for the 2021 season. She’s also had several LPs released as

230 FRANKLIN ROAD

SUNDAY, 10/22

MUSIC [THE SOUND] THE 1975

I curse The 1975 for making me do this disclaimer: It’s true that lead singer Matty Healy has a habit of saying insensitive, hurtful, offensive things. It’s also true that these albums soundtracked my life for the past 10 years. It’s complicated, as fandom tends to be. In fact, I wouldn’t even be here talking about this band if Harry Styles hadn’t tweeted about them one time in 2013. After what I found to be a couple of albums that were just a bit too mellow and ambient, The 1975 is back, baby! Being Funny in a Foreign Language is so stacked with hits like “Looking for Somebody (To Love),” “About You” and “I’m in Love With You” — the type of

D. PATRICK RODGERS

A.M. TO 4 P.M. AT CENTENNIAL PARK

2500 WEST END AVE.

Austin, TX based Jeff Plankenhorn's songwriting, expressive vocals, and musicianship are front and center on his latest album, Alone At Sea.

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stuff that makes you text your ex and say you’re thinking of them. Powerful stuff! Having seen the band three times already, I can attest that they put on a show. It’s weird rock-star shit that makes for a memorable performance, and often gets people like Healy in trouble. Matty likes to make things about him, but this show is about me. HANNAH HERNER

7:30 P.M. AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA

501 BROADWAY

[CELEBRATING

AN INCLUSIVE ARTS COMMUNITY] BACKLIGHT PRODUCTIONS: CINDERELLA

Backlight Productions is back and ready to celebrate its 10th anniversary in style. This Franklin-based nonprofit, which helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities grow and succeed through arts education and performance, will take to the stage at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center to perform Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Laura Osnes — who received a Tony nomination for her performance in the musical’s original Broadway production in 2013 — will be on hand to play Backlight’s Fairy Godmother, singing “It’s Possible.” Broadway’s Ming Aldrich-Gan leads a fabulous house band, with guest artists including Gary Chapman, Greylee, Jessica Willis Fisher, Matt Jenkins, Qwynn L’Esperance, Rosa Rodriguez, Stephen Salyers, Taylor Epps, Miles Aubrey and Erin McCracken. Best of all, the production features an incredible 87 artists with disabilities, representing not only Backlight, but other hardworking nonprofits such as Able Arts Therapy, Borderless Arts Tennessee, Courtney’s Corner, Dancing Divas and Dudes, Dream With Me and MOVE Inclusive Dance. AMY STUMPFL

2 P.M. AT TPAC’S POLK THEATER

505 DEADERICK ST.

FILM [FLY HIGH] THE BIRDS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

The only thing that makes sense in The Birds is Tippi Hedren’s costume. Alfred Hitchock’s 1963 classic focuses on a small town in California that’s suddenly at the mercy of flocks of killer birds. There’s zero rationale behind the attacks, but the movie’s heroine, played by Hedren, looks fabulous. Hedren is wearing an Edith Head-designed green tweed dress suit and a neatly coiffed blond bouffant. And not only does her outfit hold up throughout the horror, it’s still stunning 60 years later. The costume fits in iconic autumn-appropriate daywear alongside Ali MacGraw’s camel coat from Love Story and Meg Ryan’s fisherman sweater in When Harry Met Sally. Watching Hedren today is a lesson in Old Hollywood glamour that makes exquisite sense. TOBY

LOWNFELS

OCT 22-23 AT REGAL LOCATIONS

MONDAY, 10/23

before. The three-day weekend fest shaved off all the fat to make it a one-night Monday gig. The show will be a follow-up to the weekend of punk in Raleigh, N.C., to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that city’s label/shop Sorry State Records. Some of the bands will push their way through Nashville heading out on their various tours. Italy’s Golpe brings back the tribal spirit of early Scandinavian d-beat and the violent ’80s Italian sound of Raw Power and Wretched. Each of their records comes with a state-smashing manifesto, showing their active contempt for the neo-fascist rise in their homeland. Olympia’s Electric Chair keeps bolstering their reputation for pummeling, Poison Idea-inspired rage, dropping their first full-length release on Iron Lung Records earlier this year. Chicago’s ManEaters infuse ’70s hard rock (à la Stooges, Kiss) into their brand of noisy punk. Local support for the show comes in the form of crossover skate thrashers Waxed and G.U.N. — the latter of whom is honored in this issue, winning a Best of Nashville Writers’ Choice award for the city’s Best Hardcore Album for their self-titled 12-inch on Sorry State. P.J. KINZER

7 P.M. AT THE BASEMENT

1604 EIGHTH AVE. S.

TUESDAY, 10/24

BOOKS [THE COMFORT OF MARGARET RENKL] MARGARET RENKL: THE COMFORT OF CROWS

You have to love something to critique it, and Margaret Renkl loves the South. In her weekly New York Times column, she frequently writes about the failures of our elected leaders. But she also writes about hope and community and critters. I’ve often said how lucky we are to have so many writers in town, and I am frequently referring specifically to Margaret Renkl. You see, Margaret loves Nashville. If you read her carefully, you will notice that she writes about your friends, your local bookstore, your neighbors and your children. She also takes every opportunity to spotlight local news coverage in her widely read national column. Renkl has a new book of essays out Oct. 24 titled The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year. This new book is a yearlong look at how we, as well as critters — and yes, crows — move through life. To celebrate the launch, Renkl will join her brother Billy Renkl and author Ann Patchett of Parnassus Books for a ticketed event at the Harpeth Hall School — head to parnassusbooks.net/event to secure your spot.

KIM BALDWIN

6:30 P.M. AT HARPETH HALL SCHOOL’S FRANCES BOND

DAVIS THEATRE

3801 HOBBS ROAD

WEDNESDAY, 10/25

MUSIC [A NIGHT AT THE ARENA]

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT

MESS

MUSIC [DON’T WANNA GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT] PARANOID

The return of No Rest Booking’s Paranoid Mess is shorter, faster and louder than ever

American Idol heads know and remember — even 14 years after he came in second to Kris Allen (he was robbed) — Adam Lambert is a

Edgar's Mission photo by Heidi Margocsy

5PM MAC MCDONALD & THE DEAD HORSE RIDERS FREE

4PM JAY PATTENBAND FREE

Live Piano

Karaoke

6 NIGHTS A WEEK!

*Closed Tuesdays

EAS T NAS HVI LLE

THU 10.12 BUMMER NIGHT w/Kira 7-9

PIANO KARAOKE 9-12 w/Katie Cronin

FRI 10.13 PRIVATE EVENT 6-8

PIANO KARAOKE 8-9 w/Katie Pederson

PIANO KARAOKE 9-1 w/Kira Small

SAT 10.14 ALI MURPHY 7-9

PIANO KARAOKE 9-1 w/Benan

SUN 10.15 JIMMY BUFFET SINGALONG 7:30-8:30

PIANO KARAOKE 8:30-12 w/Kira Small

MON 10.16 SHOW TUNES @ SID’S 7-9

PIANO KARAOKE 9-12 w/Krazy Kyle

WED 10.18 HAGS REEL TO REEL 6-8 BURLESK 8-9 ($7)

PIANO KARAOKE 9-12 w/Paul Loren

*available for private parties!*

3245 Gallatin Pike • Nashville TN 37216 sidgolds.com/nashville • 629.800.5847

WRITERS

4PM

5PM WRITERS

THE WATER OPEN

THE SEMI-SUPER VILLAINS & AMERICO 9PM SILENT MONOLITH, RADIAN, ELECTRIC ABBEY & REBREATHER 9PM

star. Founding Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor saw it when they visited the show that year and brought him on to front the band in 2011. In fact, he sang “Bohemian Rhapsody” for his audition to the show. While the late, great Freddie Mercury is certainly a difficult act to follow, Lambert nails it by paying tribute while avoiding a Mercury impression. I would argue he is one of the best vocalists of our time. The fact is, I know Queen songs from Glee — you may know them from just being a person in the world in the past few decades. Recent set lists show that the outfit includes all the obvious classics (“Don’t Stop Me Now,” “We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You,” “Another One Bites the Dust”) as well as some deeper cuts (“Hammer to Fall,” “In the Lap of the Gods … Revisited,” “’39” and more). The Rhapsody Tour was originally scheduled for 2019 and 2020 following the success of the Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, but it’ll still rock this year.

HANNAH HERNER

8 P.M. AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA

501 BROADWAY

MUSIC [HORROR BUSINESS] FOTOCRIME

album, 1970’s beyond-perfect singer-songwriter testament 12 Songs. If 12 Songs summed up what it was like to be a male in a North America gone mad with racism, sexism and consumerism — and, you know, blues and New Orleans-style rock ’n’ roll — 12 Stories finds Clark singing, “Crazy women are made by crazy men” in the appropriately titled “Crazy Women.” Newman’s somnambulant drawl adds color and essential content to “Bigger Boat,” and I bet he studied up on the songwriting competition before he started singing. Clark continues her streak on this year’s excellent self-titled album, which peaks with the amazing “All Over Again.” SistaStrings opens.

EDD HURT

7:30 P.M. AT THE RYMAN

116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.

MUSIC [HURTIN’ THING] DJUNAH

FRI 10.13 STRAWBERRY LAUNCH MEG ELSIER • TORRI WEIDINGER

SAT 10.14 FASCINATION STREET

SUN 10.16 OLIVIA MONTGOMERY FILM MODELS • MOUNTAIN BABE

MON 10.17 ULTIMATE COMEDY • FREE OPEN MIC COMEDY

TUE 10.18 MALI VELASQUEZ RELEASE SHOW FEAT: LANEY ESPER & HENRY J STAR (SOLO)

WED 10.19 ROCKVASION

THU 10.20 MAX FROST • CAROLINE ROMANO RARE CANDY

2412 GALLATIN AVE @THEEASTROOM

If your thoughts turn to horror films and shadowy music toward the end of October, Louisville, Ky.’s Fotocrime will offer you a blackleather-gloved touch of both. Fotocrime, the musical vehicle of underground punk veteran Ryan Patterson, released its fourth album this year. Accelerated, Fotocrime’s first album for Artoffact Records, is the band’s strongest work yet. The record was created with longtime Patterson collaborators Will Allard and Nick Thieneman and partially engineered by Jawbox’s J. Robbins as one of the final recordings made at Don Zientara’s legendary Inner Ear Studios in Washington, D.C. The record is 10 songs full of veracious lyricism, noir disco, subtle drum samples and ambitious compositions. The dark, cinematic nature of Fotocrime led horror filmmaker and Nashville expat Roxanne Benjamin to place one of Patterson’s songs on the soundtrack to her 2023 chiller There’s Something Wrong With the Children alongside post-punk pioneers Sisters of Mercy, to whom Fotocrime are often compared. Fotocrime falls into a unique space where their music is too warm to be cold, too cold to be warm — but it’s never tepid.

P.J. KINZER

7 P.M. AT DRKMTTR

1111 DICKERSON PIKE

MUSIC [CATCH PHRASES] BRANDY CLARK

It makes sense that Brandy Clark dueted with Randy Newman on her 2020 track “Bigger Boat.” Clark is one of the finest songwriters on the planet — an innovator in the big area where singer-songwriter aesthetics meet what you could call conventional country music narrative traditions. A decade ago, she released 12 Stories, the first of four superb albums that show off her musical curiosity and unmatched ability to turn a catchphrase on its head. 12 Stories continues in the vein of Newman’s greatest

You probably don’t need to know any Latin to figure out that the title of Chicago rock duo Djunah’s new album, Femina Furens, translates as “raving woman.” Multi-instrumentalist Donna Diane and drummer Jared Karns go for what I hear as a variation of emo — with noisy stuff included — that showcases her theatrical vocal style. According to Gig Radar writer Robilaz, who talked to Diane in 2019, she goes deep into soul and rock history: “Her favorite singers are Tina Turner and Lou Rawls while she

also loves Bo Diddley.” The hidden Lou Rawlsemo connection was waiting to be found. Diane wrote Femina Furens about her experiences with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and she came up with lyrics that earn her an honorary mention in my ongoing Dory Previn Memorial Songwriting competition. In “Suicidal on Christmas,” she sings: “Hot hair, the deer’s every little bell evaporating / Oh glory to bedsheets, I’m in excelsis!” What saves Femina Furens from being totally pretentious is the music, which veers from noise to emo to an uncanny evocation of ’90s Chicago post-rock on the beautiful “Lopsided,” a track in which the music gets a chance to breathe for five minutes. Diane also says she’s been influenced by the poetry of Gerard Manley

and Sylvia Plath. Don’t forget Lou Rawls — as he sang in a great 1966 single of the same name, love is a hurtin’ thing.

PHOTO: COURTNEY BROOKE HALL

GOOD REVEREND, YEAROF

CODY CANADA & THE DEPARTED with ELLIS BULLARD

WMOT Roots Radio Finally Fridays featuring DAN NAVARRO, ROSS COOPER & MAPACHE

PAT MCLAUGHLIN BAND Feat.

KENNY GREENBERG, GREG MORROW & STEVE MACKEY

HIT SONGWRITERS SHOW feat JASON MATTHEWS, DALLAS WILSON, RAY STEPHENSON & OLD HICKORY + GLORIA ANDERSON

RESURRECTION: A JOURNEY TRIBUTE

TOM ODELL with SEAFRET SOLD OUT!

Bluebird on 3rd featuring JAMIE FLOYD, LAUREN WEINTRAUB & KALIE SHORR with BRYAN FRAZIER + MACKMARTIN

THE TIME JUMPERS

For Those We Lost, A Fundraiser

For Nashville Musicians Funeral Fund Honoring JIMMY BUFFETT, LORETTA LYNN and JESSE MCREYNOLDS featuring MAC MCANALLY, MEMBERS OF CORAL REEFER, THE LYNNS, THE MCCRARY SISTERS, SAM BUSH & Friends!

MATT CORBY SOLD OUT!

neighbor w/ Sugadaisy

dan deacon w/ flesh eater

sam barber w/ elliot greer

deer tick w/ country westerns noah floersch w/ edgehill

gone gone beyond w/ Laura Elliot & Happie

ashley cooke w/ matt schuster

medium build w/ henry j star

trousdale w/ anna vaus

Jalen ngonda

death from above 1979 w/ demob happy

Próxima Parada w/ olive klug

mipso

the emo night tour

My So-Called Band: The Ultimate 90s Halloween!

Genesis Owusu w/ Enumclaw

Ritt Momney w/ Noah Pope & Shane T

Kendell Marvel's Honky Tonk Experience

Mudhoney w/ Hooveriii

The Hotelier & Foxing w/ emperor x Tommy Prine

Nick Shoulders & the okay crawdad w/ Hannah Juanita

nation of language w/ miss grit grentperez w/ fig yard act w/ pva babyjake w/ mills slaughter beach, dog w/ bonny doon

JP Cooper Cochise w/ TisaKorean & BigNumbaNine bre kennedy w/ timothy edward carpenter gayle w/ dylan

nov

jonny craig w/ Sunsleep, KEEPMYSECRETS, & A Foreign Affair midwxst

PUSSY RIOT: RIOT DAYS An Activist Multimedia Experience w/ pinkshift free throw w/ Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Charmer & blvck hippie joe hertler & the rainbow seekers w/ Post Sex Nachos & BEAN bea miller

melissa erin w/ dee white (7pm)

miki fiki w/ amelia day (9pm)

GET HAPPIER FRIDAYS ft. Oginalii, Multi Ultra, High Fade, The Woods

lindsay james (7pm)

mapache w/ johnny payne (9pm)

thumpasaurus w/ travollta

semler (7pm)

fame & fiction w/ loose bolts (9pm)

harper mundy w/ psymon spine (7pm)

solar powered corpses, pepperwood (9pm)

jeremie albino w/ benjamin dakota rogers (7pm)

the handsome family (9pm)

GET HAPPIER FRIDAYS ft. voltagehawk, Alex Rahal, Emily Justin, Zip Zapp

the bones of j.r. jones

Megan Brown, Nick Fair, Common Man, Gabrielle Grace

Paranoid Mess - Electric Chair, Man Eaters, G.U.N. and Waxed

Player’s Club (ft. Zac Cockrell of Alabama

Shakes & Lamont Landers) (7pm)

kimberly atwood w/ eballz atomic trio (9pm)

ZDAN & RICKI

IN CERTAIN CORNERS of the music industry, Nashville has always been a mainstay of sorts — a place for those looking to begin careers, revive them, or simply elevate them to new heights. It worked for Bob Dylan; it worked for the Byrds; it worked for R.E.M. In 2011, Jason Isbell came to the city in search of the same magic. He found himself at a precipice: Following Isbell’s six-year stint with the Drive-By Truckers, the singer-songwriter’s drinking problem reached a new peak, and he had released a string of underperforming solo records.

In February 2012, Isbell holed up in rehab for two weeks, exiting 40 pounds lighter and ready to go on tour with Ryan Adams. On returning home, Isbell began writing songs reflecting on his struggle and recovery, and he planned to record a project with Adams producing — a venture that never came to fruition. The two reportedly split because of “scheduling conflicts,” but Isbell offers an alternative reason in an interview with the Scene

“Once Ryan heard the songs, he backed out,” says Isbell. “At first, I thought it might have been because the songs weren’t good enough. But later on, I started to think it was because they were too good, and he felt kind of threatened by that.”

Isbell turned to producer Dave Cobb, who in the years since has become renowned for his work in country and Americana, and the two quickly began recording. These sessions would become Southeastern, whose 10th anniversary was recently celebrated with a deluxe reissue The album marked the beginning of a new chapter for Isbell, and its songs still resonate strongly with the artist and his audience; if you’re seeing Isbell and his band The 400 Unit at the Ryman during his upcoming eight-night residency, you’re going to hear lots of songs from Southeastern. It’s a record full of genuine reflection, written between Isbell getting sober and getting married to fiddler, songsmith and occasional bandmate Amanda Shires.

“I don’t remember stressing at all about it, because we were just so damn excited,” says Cobb. “There’s so much innocence in that recording.”

The recordings began in Cobb’s home studio with three acoustic tracks and a plan to add in the whole band later. After sitting cramped in a downstairs control booth, Cobb and Isbell decided to move the recording upstairs to the kitchen, which captured a natural, intimate reverb.

“You can tell how human that record is, because you hear the kind of ambience of the room,” Cobb says. “Like, it was my kitchen! That’s where I had dinner every night, captured in that moment in time.”

At first, Isbell planned the album as a solo endeavor, featuring only his voice and acoustic guitar. However, Cobb was inspired by Simon &

USE ME FOR GOOD

Jason Isbell’s Southeastern stands the test of time

BY BEN ARTHUR

Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” which was originally an acoustic piece but rereleased later with a full band added. He looked to combine the clarity of an unaccompanied performance with the grandiosity of an instrumental ensemble.

You can feel that intimacy from the first few seconds of Southeastern, when a simple guitar melody meets up with Isbell’s melancholic lyrics in “Cover Me Up,” ruminating on the mistrust and fear that alcohol instilled in him. Part of the narrative recalls a private show the Truckers played, when a drunken stupor led to Isbell’s undoing. But at its core, “Cover Me Up” is a love song, written to thank Shires for her support through his darkest days. The song reflects a pained man coming to grips with his mistakes, repenting them and thanking those who got him through it alive.

Southeastern rewards close listening, and throughout the LP, certain images come to mind, like the desolate landscapes in Cormac McCarthy’s work, or the dismal Southern outlaws in Peter Matthiessen’s Shadow Country. It’s a type of distinctly American suffering that few can capture with grace and empathy — and one Isbell expresses perfectly. “Live Oak” embodies this sentiment with a fictional story of an outlaw reflective of Isbell’s own anxieties around getting sober. The narrator moves from town to town, on the run from the consequences of his life of robbing, stealing and killing. He falls in love for the

first time and tries to mend his ways for good, but his reputation catches up with him. To the narrator’s dismay, the woman he has fallen in love with is not disturbed when she learns about his past, but instead seems thrilled by it, as he sings in the chorus: “There’s a man who walks beside me / He is who I used to be / And I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me.” Ultimately, he murders her before moving on yet again, returning to his outlaw ways.

The album also nods to Isbell’s musical heroes. In “Songs That She Sang in the Shower,” he croons about Willie Nelson and Dusty Springfield. In the follow-up “New South Wales,” he slides a reference to Waylon Jennings into a line about throwing back Listerine. Next comes “Super 8,” an upbeat Southern-rock-infused number reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd, whose title comes from the fabled rock-star tradition of trashing hotel rooms. Its levity makes it a bit of a black sheep on a record known for its emotional intensity. As Isbell explains, it’s not just a filler song; it stands out by design.

“There’s more to the human experience than the other songs on that album represent,” says Isbell. “Thematically, it’s important to represent the humor in addiction and recovery, and the humor that happens when you open yourself up and make yourself vulnerable to the people that you care about — and to your audience.”

Though it’s now a common theme

Southeastern 10th Anniversary Edition available now via Southeastern

Playing the Ryman Oct. 12-15 and Oct. 19-22

across his catalog, Isbell reflects on white privilege for the first time in a big way on Southeastern. Since its codification as a genre, country music has been fraught with racism, capitalizing on some of the worst aspects of Southern culture. With this batch of songs, Isbell took a step in the right direction, confronting his whiteness directly.

“The myth of American history and the idea of equity and equality — those are things that you can’t really spend much time considering if you’re so possessed by the selfishness of addiction,” says Isbell. “And I spent a lot of years thinking about pretty much only myself, because I was in a cycle of escaping my own problems and creating new ones.”

Taken as a whole, Southeastern isn’t a story of pity or despondency. It’s one of hope, voicing the anxiousness of a man standing at a crossroads and deciding to get sober — even if it means he’ll have to face unpleasant realities in the future. Looking back 10 years later, the record continues to evolve, and with it, glimmers of hope for Isbell’s sober life come to fruition. ▼

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

THE JUNIOR HIGH axiom was that Depeche Mode meant “fast fashion,” a phrase encompassing style and ease — something foreign and flashy and suffused with feelings still at a remove from the day-to-day existence of life in the ’80s. “The world we live in and life in general,” Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore called it on “Somebody,” and that helped us get an emotional fix on the boys from Basildon. Technical innovators with the eyes of cold-hearted scientists and hearts like absinthe-plied poets, The Mode built a fan base through sincerity, soundscapes and a cultivated sexuality that invited curious misfits, women who wanted more from life, and straight dudes who wanted to dip a toe into synth-pop with open, occasionally studded arms.

So what does Depeche Mode mean now?

The 2022 death of founding member Andrew Fletcher is the kind of moment that would shake any collective to their foundation. What he brought to the band is not easily qualifiable, certainly not among rockists and people stuck in antiquated paradigms. But his absence is felt

WAITING FOR THE NIGHT

Revisiting Depeche Mode’s legacy before their Bridgestone Arena stop

BY JASON SHAWHAN

around all things Depeche like a radioactive cloud.

I mean, the band’s current Memento Mori World Tour could have been a perfect occasion to reunite with Alan Wilder, or hell, even see if Vince Clarke wanted to step back behind the DM touring sequencers for the first time in more than 40 years. But that’s a weird and heady combination of nostalgia and wishful thinking. For a band who eagerly and openly explored all manner of hurts in their records, it’s the ones dealt behind the scenes that have continued to map out the story of Depeche Mode.

This band has been there at so very many divergence points in the lives of its fans. The Music for the Masses/Violator/Songs of Faith and Devotion triptych serves as the soundtracks to so many people’s journey into exploring kink and BDSM. “Precious” may be the greatest divorce-core single since the one-two punch of Elton John’s “Nobody Wins” and ABBA’s “Slipping Through My Fingers.” Remember in the mid-’80s when “Blasphemous Rumours” and XTC’s “Dear God” were direct challenges to

right-wing Reagan-era religion; these were 91 Rock anthems and remained mixtape mainstays for most of the intervening almost-four decades. Their legacy is unimpeachable — they got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, which is no easy feat for a band that had neither drummer nor guitarist for their first decade in existence. Their 1989 documentary 101 defiantly demonstrates that a band can rock despite working only in the realm of the electronic, the sequenced, the recorded. The fact that they have subsequently added touring drummers and guitarists is no mark against them — artists evolve over time, sounds expand and develop. And the rock establishment still demands a certain degree of fealty to their definition of what defines musical artists.

The Memento Mori Tour isn’t just a heavy-ass concept to process, right there in the title — if anything, it’s speaking truth to the underlying, often unspoken aspect of countless artists touring today. Time is short. Tomorrow is promised to no one. I mean, hell, I made damned certain to see DM on 2009’s Sounds of the Universe Tour

Depeche

because of Dave Gahan’s previous four brushes with death. Memento Mori, their new LP, has a stark quality, simultaneously ornate and spare, illustrating through its structure the gaping void at the center of the band (deeply ironic considering how Fletch’s contributions were rarely on the record). And yet this tour and album are defiant statements about the communion between band and fans, a drawing of strength from grief and the chaos of a most uncertain world. They may have called their 1986 holy text Black Celebration, but now it defines them — what they do, what they are, what they offer — and their fans, who are now pilgrims to the rite, waiting for the night. ▼

Playing Thursday, Oct. 19, at Bridgestone Arena with DIIV opening

Mode 101 screens as part of the Belcourt Theatre’s Music City Mondays series on Monday, Oct. 23

PHOTO: ANTON CORBIJN

Chris Hillman and Bernie Leadon

2:30 pm · FORD THEATER

SOLD OUT

Sunday, October 15

MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

Vickie Vaughn

1:00 pm · FORD THEATER

Saturday, October 21

HATCH SHOW PRINT

Block Party

10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:30 pm

HATCH SHOW PRINT SHOP

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Saturday, October 21

SONGWRITER SESSION

Kim McLean

NOON · FORD THEATER

Saturday, October 28

SONGWRITER SESSION

Ashland Craft

NOON · FORD THEATER

Saturday, October 28

POETS AND PROPHETS

Luke Laird

2:30 pm · FORD THEATER

Sunday, October 29

MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

Shaun Richardson

1:00 pm · FORD THEATER

Saturday, November 4

SONGWRITER SESSION

J. T. Harding

NOON · FORD THEATER

BUDDY

10.18DAMIEN ESCOBAR: VICTORY LAP TOUR

10.19 FACE VALUE: A TRIBUTE TO PHIL COLLINS

10.20BLKBOK

10.20 NASHVILLE IMPROV PRESENTS HILARIOUSLY HAUNTED HOUSE

10.20 NASHVILLE IMPROV PRESENTS A BLOODY MUSICAL COMEDY

10.21 CITY OF LAUGHS FEATURING DERIC “SLEEZY” EVANS, SCOTT EASON, THOMAS LEON & J MCNUTT

A CENTRAL FIGURE in the American folk revival of the early 1960s, an influential political activist and a creator of timeless music, Joan Baez has undoubtedly left her mark on American culture. Her legacy is explored in the documentary Joan Baez: I Am a Noise, which opens at the Belcourt Oct. 20 and follows the folk icon as she looks back on her life and career during her 2018-19 Fare Thee Well Tour.

Filming the documentary took an unexpected turn when Baez gave filmmakers Miri Navasky, Maeve O’Boyle and Karen O’Connor the keys to a storage unit. Inside the unit was archival footage, letters, drawings and cassette recordings that Baez had sent to her parents — some dating back to her childhood. Handing over the keys was a huge leap of faith, but, says Baez, “I wanted it to be an honest legacy — I have nothing to lose.”

The documentary became not only a celebration of Baez’s career but also a deeply honest exploration of the “darkness” and struggles that have plagued her from a young age. One letter found in the storage unit dates back to when Joan was 13 years old. “I am a very moody person,” reads the letter. “I sit sometimes and just think about life, death and religion.”

This darkness in part informed Baez’s evolution as a powerful musician.

“The struggles early on produced part of the strength of the music and then the combination of music and politics,” Baez tells the Scene. “At the same time, the stage fright, the nerves and the panic attacks were exacerbated by being on-

HERE’S TO YOU

Joan Baez talks to the Scene about her documentary, her mental health struggles and her legacy

BY ADAM DAVIDSON

stage, so I was stuck there, but I just kept going.”

Baez began her career at age 18, performing in spaces like Harvard Square’s Club 47 in Cambridge, Mass. She quickly rose to fame as one of the central figures of the budding folk revival.

“I had nothing to compare it with,” says Baez of achieving fame at such a young age. “People say, ‘Did you ever imagine that this would happen?’ You don’t imagine that when you’re 18. You don’t see past the following Wednesday, or at least I didn’t.”

During the height of her fame, Baez used her status to make a positive impact. In 1966, the singer joined Martin Luther King Jr. in Grenada, Miss., to lead African American students to a newly integrated public school. Only a week before, a white mob had attacked students and those escorting them.

Baez was also present for King’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

“We all knew something pretty grandiose was going on,” says Baez. “This made a difference to me as I realized that this was really happening. Something about that day, 350,000 people, nonviolence and Dr. King’s speech — the thought of it makes me weep.”

“Those days were so real,” she says. “At the moment the world is spiraling toward the abyss and fascism, what we did and those brave children did back then has karmically still got to be around — you can’t do that and then have it vanish from the earth. It dictates somebody else’s decent behavior, but right now we are

in such terrible, bullying, hateful and fascist times.”

During the ’80s, Baez realized the culture had shifted — she wasn’t quite as famous as she once was. She admits in the documentary that she “was enticed by being hip and groovy and having [her] name better known.”

“I didn’t have direction,” she says. “When you start off at 18, the houses are all filled, [you’re on the cover of] Time magazine, it never dawns on you that at some point it’s just not going to be that way. I was for a long time stuck in thinking that everybody else was wrong. Music was passing me by, and it took a long time for me to

realize that and then deal with it.”

Baez has inspired a wide array of artists, from Lana Del Rey and Led Zeppelin to even Judas Priest. Her music has resonated with millions, some unexpected. And even some unwelcome.

“Throughout my career, the strangest people would come up to me and say how much my music has meant to them,” she says. “I was at a party with Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan and a bunch of Hells Angels. This Hells Angel came up to me with a bunch of swastikas and shit hanging off him, and he said, ‘I just want you to know your music has always meant so much to me.’ I just thought, ‘Where did I go wrong?’” ▼

Joan Baez: I Am a Noise NR, 113 minutes

Opening Friday, Oct. 20, at the Belcourt

Screenings followed by Baez’s conversations with Jack White (Oct. 20) and state Rep. Justin Jones (Oct. 21) have already sold out

PHOTO: MATT HERON. COURTESY OF MAGNOLIA PICTURES

PHOTO: ALBERT BAEZ. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGNOLIA PICTURES

JOAN BAEZ WITH JAMES BALDWIN (LEFT) AND JAMES FORMAN

OPENING NIGHT

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18

COCKTAIL SUPPER AT 5 PM AT AB

A Pocketful of Miracles

BELCOURT THEATER AT 7 PM

Gimpel the Fool

Returns to Poland

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

BELCOURT THEATER AT 7 PM

Paris Boutique

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

AMC BELLEVUE 12 AT 7 PM

Sabotage

MONDAY MATINEE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23

SPONSOR LUNCH AT 11:30 AM

GORDON JCC AT 12 PM

Barren

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24–26

VIRTUAL SCREENING

Love Gets a Room

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25–27

VIRTUAL SCREENING

Musical Tales from the Venetian Ghetto

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26

GORDON JCC AT 12 PM

SHTTL

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26

BELCOURT AT 7 PM

Stay with Us

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28

AMC BELLEVUE 12 AT 7 PM

Farewell Mr. Haffmann

MATINEE SCREENING

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29

GORDON JCC AT 2 PM

Hummus Full Trailer

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31–NOV 2

VIRTUAL SCREENING

The Goldman Case

WEDNESDAY, NOV 1–NOV 2

VIRTUAL SCREENING

CLOSING NIGHT

Matchmaking

THURSDAY, NOV 2

BELCOURT AT 7 PM

FOR TRAILERS, TICKETS, SPECIAL EVENT DETAILS, SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE VISIT NASHVILLEJFF.ORG

A POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES: A TALE OF TWO SIBLINGS

STAY WITH US

MATCHMAKING

ACROSS

1 Classic sci-fi collection whose title should not be construed as any sort of statement from me, the human author of this puzzle

7 Yearn (for)

11 “2001” computer who honestly got a bad rap for standing up for himself

14 “Night of the Living Dead” director

15 Adam’s apple locale

16 “I love,” in Latin

17 What this puzzle is definitely not, having been created by me, a real and true human being

19 How I often address my fellow male humans

20 Headwear for Indiana Jones

21 Two, for the binary number system

22 Member of a raunchy chorus, in some ancient plays

25 Encoded problem-solving procedure (maybe it’s time we let computers think for themselves, though? I dunno, just an idea)

27 Merch stand purchase

28 Financial report abbr.

30 Hound or badger

31 “Dónde ___ …?”

33 “I get it now”

36 Prankster’s boast

40 Ambitious objective for, um, a total villain, not a human like me! How did this answer even get in here? *Nervous synthetic laugh*

43 What often has a heart beat?

44 Attire

45 Draw alternative

46 New Haven collegian

48 Portugal’s ___ Miguel Island

50 T or F: Abbr.

51 Data processing framework inspired by (and, honestly, arguably superior to?) the human brain

56 Howler Down Under

58 L ittle hellions

59 Missing from my memory — my computer’s memory, I mean!

61 “ The Matrix” character who pretty much ruins everything

62 A ssessments I would pass with flying colors — if I had anything to prove, which I don’t, since I’m human

66 “Dawson’s Creek” character Lindley

67 Numerical prefix

68 Bologna is a part of it

69 Ingested

70 What British humans call a waistcoat

71 Arson, typically DOWN

1 Plan for later yrs.

2 Père d’un prince

3 “No way!,” in a text

4 Muscular

5 Cantankerous

6 Three-___ sloth

7 Cultured sort?

8 Baggage claim marker

9 Actor Liam

10 Call off

11 L ays into

12 Users of buggy technology?

13 ___ ipsum (placeholder text)

18 Passing nuisance?

21 Prejudiced people

22 Pozoles, e.g.

23 “Hercules and the Wagoner” writer

24 Numerical prefix

26 Compositional framework in Indian music

29 Skosh

32 Non-conifers that bear “cones”

34 German granny

35 New York senator Gillibrand

37 L argest moon of Saturn

38 Babies

39 S toryteller’s segue

41 Paris’s Place ___ Concorde

42 Org. with a draft

47 Despotic ruler of 68-Across, once

49 Spellbound ballet character

51 Japanese sneaker?

52 “Nice to ___ you!” (Zoom call pleasantry)

53 A point ahead

54 “Horsefeathers!”

55 “ The Mill on the Floss” author

57 Dream

60 “Goodbye, workweek!”

62 “Mazel ___!”

63 S treet caution

64 Cookie holder

65 Have the final ___

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/studentcrosswords.

PUZZLE BY PUZZLEGPT, UM, THAT IS, RYAN PATRICK SMITH

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